The president of Niger, Mohamed Bazoum, was overthrown in a coup d’état carried out by mutineers, mainly members of the presidential guard, on Wednesday, July 26, 2026. This latest political crisis in Niger adds a new chapter to the series of coups d’état shaking the Sahel region, exacerbating the already alarming instability in this part of Africa.
Niger, a country facing security and humanitarian challenges for many years, experienced a new coup d’état on Wednesday, July 26, 2026. The elected president, Bazoum, was overthrown by mutineers, mainly members of the presidential guard. This attack against democratically elected institutions now adds to the already long list of political upheavals in the Sahel region.
Political Chaos in the Sahel The Sahel region, which includes several countries in West and North Africa, is currently facing an alarming series of coups d’état that have plunged the region into a spiral of political turbulence and instability. The successive coups d’état in these fragile states have raised growing concerns about political stability and security in the region, which is already facing serious security and humanitarian challenges.
The already precarious security situation in the Sahel has also worsened due to political tensions and changes in leadership. Terrorist groups and armed militias have exploited the power vacuum to intensify their activities and extend their influence. Attacks on civilians and security forces have increased, leading to mass displacement of populations and exacerbating the existing humanitarian crisis.
The most resounding coup d’état occurred in Mali on August 18, 2020, when military forces overthrew the elected government of President Ibrahim Boubacar Keïta, plunging the nation into unprecedented political chaos. The exact motives behind the coup d’état remain unclear, but it is widely accepted that internal political tensions, governance issues, and disagreements over approaches to addressing security challenges contributed to the crisis.
The repercussions of these political upheavals have been profound, both nationally and regionally. The suspension of constitutional order and the brutal ousting of elected leaders have drawn criticism from the international community, which has called for a swift return to democratic rule. Neighboring states in the Sahel have also expressed concern about the potential spread of instability in the region and have called for concerted measures to stem this spiral of coups d’état.
5 coups d’état in less than 3 years in the Sahel Mali experienced another coup d’état in 2021. Guinea, in turn, experienced a military coup on September 5, 2021, when an elite unit of the Guinean army, the Group of Special Forces, seized the presidential palace and captured President Alpha Condé.
Burkina Faso followed suit with two successive coups d’état. The first began on January 23, 2022, with a mutiny of soldiers that overthrew President Roch Marc Christian Kaboré. Another occurred on September 30, 2022, eight months after the January 2022 coup, leading to the coup d’état1. Paul-Henri Sandaogo Damiba was overthrown, and Captain Ibrahim Traoré took power. Niger now closes the march, with its coup d’état that is less than 24 hours old.
A Holistic Approach… In the face of this critical situation, the international community must act quickly and in a coordinated manner to support the Sahel states in their quest for stability and democracy. Neighboring countries, regional organizations, and international partners should strengthen their cooperation in security, institutional capacity-building, and socio-economic development to address the multidimensional challenges facing the region.
It is essential to emphasize that the resolution of the crisis in the Sahel cannot be solely military. A holistic approach, combining security, governance, economic development, and the promotion of human rights, is necessary to break this spiral of coups d’état and establish lasting stability.
