List of Presidents of African Countries: Current Leaders and Past Presidents
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Find the current president or head of state of 51 African countries, then open any country to see its full list of former presidents, years in office and short biographies.
| Country | Current head of state | In office since | Leaders listed |
|---|---|---|---|
| Algeria | Abdelmadjid Tebboune | 2019 | 11 |
| Angola | João Lourenço | 2017 | 3 |
| Benin | Romuald Wadagni | 2026 | 15 |
| Botswana | Duma Boko | 2024 | 6 |
| Burkina Faso | Ibrahim Traoré | 2022 | 11 |
| Burundi | Évariste Ndayishimiye | 2020 | 12 |
| Cameroon | Paul Biya | 1982 | 2 |
| Cape Verde | José Maria Neves | 2021 | 5 |
| Central African Republic | Faustin-Archange Touadéra | 2016 | 9 |
| Chad | Mahamat Déby | 2021 | 8 |
| Comoros | Azali Assoumani | 2016 | 14 |
| Democratic Republic of the Congo | Félix Tshisekedi | 2019 | 5 |
| Djibouti | Ismaïl Omar Guelleh | 1999 | 2 |
| Egypt | Abdel Fattah el-Sisi | 2014 | 8 |
| Equatorial Guinea | Teodoro Obiang Nguema Mbasogo | 1979 | 2 |
| Eritrea | Isaias Afwerki | 1993 | 1 |
| Ethiopia | Taye Atske Selassie | 2024 | 10 |
| Gabon | Brice Oligui Nguema | 2023 | 7 |
| Gambia | Adama Barrow | 2017 | 3 |
| Ghana | John Dramani Mahama | 2025 | 12 |
| Guinea | Mamady Doumbouya | 2021 | 7 |
| Guinea-Bissau | Horta Inta-A Na Man | 2025 | 16 |
| Ivory Coast | Alassane Ouattara | 2010 | 5 |
| Kenya | William Ruto | 2022 | 5 |
| Liberia | Joseph Boakai | 2024 | 29 |
| Libya | Mohamed al-Menfi | 15 March 2021 | 18 |
| Madagascar | Michael Randrianirina | 2025 | 12 |
| Malawi | Peter Mutharika | 2025 | 6 |
| Mali | Assimi Goïta | 2021 | 9 |
| Mauritania | Mohamed Ould Ghazouani | 2019 | 10 |
| Mauritius | Dharam Gokhool | 2024 | 14 |
| Mozambique | Daniel Chapo | 2025 | 5 |
| Namibia | Netumbo Nandi-Ndaitwah | 2025 | 5 |
| Niger | Abdourahamane Tiani | 2023 | 11 |
| Nigeria | Bola Tinubu | 2023 | 14 |
| Republic of the Congo | Denis Sassou Nguesso | 1997 | 7 |
| Rwanda | Paul Kagame | 2000 | 6 |
| São Tomé and Príncipe | Carlos Vila Nova | 2021 | 5 |
| Senegal | Bassirou Diomaye Faye | 2024 | 5 |
| Seychelles | Patrick Herminie | 2025 | 6 |
| Sierra Leone | Julius Maada Bio | 2018 | 7 |
| Somalia | Hassan Sheikh Mohamud | 2022 | 12 |
| South Africa | Cyril Ramaphosa | 2018 | 14 |
| South Sudan | Salva Kiir Mayardit | 2011 | 1 |
| Sudan | Abdel Fattah al-Burhan | 2019 | 8 |
| Tanzania | Samia Suluhu Hassan | 2021 | 6 |
| Togo | Jean-Lucien Savi de Tové | 2025 | 8 |
| Tunisia | Kais Saied | 2019 | 8 |
| Uganda | Yoweri Museveni | 1986 | 9 |
| Zambia | Hakainde Hichilema | 2021 | 8 |
| Zimbabwe | Emmerson Mnangagwa | 2017 | 3 |
Where a country is led by a transitional or military authority, the table shows the person who currently holds the office of head of state; open the country page for the details.
Frequently asked questions about African presidents
How many African countries are on this list?
This page lists the current head of state of 51 African countries, each linking to a full list of that country's presidents and heads of state.
Where can I find the former presidents of an African country?
Open the country in the table above. Every country page gives its leaders in order, with the years in office, a short summary of each presidency and the sources used.
Which African countries have a head of state who took office in 2026?
On this list, the current head of state took office in 2026 in Benin.
Which African countries have a head of state who took office in 2025?
On this list, the current head of state took office in 2025 in Ghana, Guinea-Bissau, Madagascar, Malawi, Mozambique, Namibia, Seychelles and Togo.
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