Welcome to our African Heads of State page. What you see below are the profiles of the first post-Independences Heads of State of 55 African nations and their contemporary counterparts, the current Heads of State. Please return to the page often as we will update it when new Heads of State are chosen. If you have questions or concerns about this page, please contact us at [email protected].

Algeria

Time in Office

1963-1965

Title

President

Recent Population

44,700,000

Date of Last Census

2021

Ahmed Ben Bella (1916-2012)

Abdelmadjid Tebbourne (Africa Intelligence)

Time in Office

2019-

Title

President

Recent Population

44,700,000

Date of Last Census

2021

Abdelmadjid Tebboune (1945- )

Angola

Time in Office

1975-1979

Title

President

Recent Population

32,097,651

Date of Last Census

2021

Agostinho Neto (1922-1979)

Time in Office

2017-

Title

President

Recent Population

32,097,651

Date of Last Census

2021

Joao Lourenço (1964- )

Benin

Time in Office

1960-1963

Title

President

Recent Population

12,506,347

Date of Last Census

2021

Hubert Maga (1916-2000)

Time in Office

2016-

Title

President

Recent Population

12,506,347

Date of Last Census

2021

Patrice Talon (1958- )

Botswana

Seretse Khama and Ruth Williams (Daily Telegraph)

Time in Office

1966-1980

Title

President

Recent Population

2,410,338

Date of Last Census

2021

Seretse Khama (1921-1980)

Time in Office

2018-

Title

President

Recent Population

2,410,338

Date of Last Census

2021

Mokgweetsi Masisi (1962- )

Burkina Faso

Time in Office

1960-1966

Title

President

Recent Population

18,450,494

Date of Last Census

2015

Maurice Yaméogo (1921-1993)

Captain Ibrahim Traoré sitting in a brown leather chair with two armed guards in the background

Time in Office

2022-

Title

President

Recent Population

18,450,494

Date of Last Census

2015

Ibrahim Traore (1988-)

Burundi

Time in Office

1961-1963

Title

Prime Minister

Recent Population

9,823,828

Date of Last Census

2015

André Muhirwa (1920-2003)

Time in Office

2020-

Title

President

Recent Population

9,823,828

Date of Last Census

2015

Évariste “Neva” Ndayishimiye (1968- )

Cameroon

Time in Office

1960-1982

Title

President

Recent Population

28,524,175

Date of Last Census

2021

Ahmadou Ahidjo (1924-1989)

Time in Office

1982-

Title

President

Recent Population

28,524,175

Date of Last Census

2021

Paul Biya (1933- )

Cape Verde

Aristides Pereira (Google Arts & Culture)

Time in Office

1975-1991

Title

President

Recent Population

563,198

Date of Last Census

2021

Aristides Pereira (1923-2011)

Time in Office

2021-

Title

President

Recent Population

563,198

Date of Last Census

2021

José Maria Neves (1960- )

Central African Republic

Time in Office

1960-1966

Title

President

Recent Population

3,859,139

Date of Last Census

2017

David Dacko (1930-2003)

Time in Office

2016-

Title

President

Recent Population

3,859,139

Date of Last Census

2017

Faustin-Archange Touadera
(1957- )

Chad

Time in Office

1960-1977

Title

President

Recent Population

16,818,391

Date of Last Census

2021

François Tombalbaye (1918-1975)

Time in Office

2021-

Title

President

Recent Population

16,818,391

Date of Last Census

2021

Mahamat Idriss Déby Itno
(1984- )

Comoros

Time in Office

1978-1989

Title

President

Recent Population

806,200

Date of Last Census

2016

Ahmed Abdallah (1919-1989)

Time in Office

2016-

Title

President

Recent Population

806,200

Date of Last Census

2016

Azali Assoumani
(1959- )

Democratic Republic of the Congo

Time in Office

1960-1961

Title

President

Recent Population

115,261,403

Date of Last Census

2020

Patrice Emery Lumumba
(1925-1961)

Tshisekedi with chandelier and door visible in the background

Time in Office

2019-

Title

President

Recent Population

115,261,403

Date of Last Census

2020

Felix Tshisekedi (1963– )

Djibouti

Hassan Gouled Aptidon, June 1977 (Wikipedia)

Time in Office

1977-1999

Title

President

Recent Population

976,107

Date of Last Census

2021

Hassan Gouled Aptidon (1916-2006)

Time in Office

1999-

Title

President

Recent Population

976,107

Date of Last Census

2021

Ismaïl Omar Guelleh
(1947- )

Egypt

Time in Office

1953-1954

Title

President

Recent Population

101,334,404

Date of Last Census

2020

Mohamed Naguib (1901-1984)

Time in Office

2014-

Title

President

Recent Population

101,334,404

Date of Last Census

2020

Abdel Fattah al-Sisi
(1954- )

Equatorial Guinea

Time in Office

1968-1979

Title

President

Recent Population

1,505,588

Date of Last Census

2021

Francisco Macias Nguema (1924-1979)

Teodoro Obiang Nguema Mbasogo (The White House)

Time in Office

1979-

Title

President

Recent Population

1,505,588

Date of Last Census

2021

Teodoro Obiang Nguema Mbasogo (1942- )

Eritrea

Time in Office

1993-

Title

President

Recent Population

3,601,000

Date of Last Census

2021

Isaias Afwerki
(1946- )

Eswatini (formerly Swaziland)

Time in Office

1967-1979

Title

Prime Minister

Recent Population

1,119,375

Date of Last Census

2015

King Sobhuza II (1899-1982)

Time in Office

2021-

Title

Prime Minister

Recent Population

1,119,375

Date of Last Census

2015

Mswati III
(1986- )

Ethiopia

Time in Office

1889-1913

Title

Prime Minister

Recent Population

109,244,414

Date of Last Census

2018

Emperor Menelik II (Sahle Miriam) (1844-1913)

Time in Office

2018-

Title

Prime Minister

Recent Population

109,244,414

Date of Last Census

2018

Abiy Ahmed (1976- )

Gabon

Time in Office

1957-1961

Title

Prime Minister

Recent Population

2,233,272

Date of Last Census

2021

Léon M’ba (1902-1967)

Time in Office

2009-

Title

President

Recent Population

2,233,272

Date of Last Census

2021

Ali Bongo Ondimba
(1959- )

Gambia

Time in Office

1962-1970

Title

Prime Minister

Recent Population

2,487,000

Date of Last Census

2021

Dawda Kairaba Jawara (1924-2019)

Time in Office

2017-

Title

President

Recent Population

2,487,000

Date of Last Census

2021

Adama Barrow
(1965- )

Ghana

Time in Office

1957-1966

Title

Prime Minister

Recent Population

31,072,040

Date of Last Census

2020

Kwame Nkrumah (1909-1972)

Time in Office

2017-

Title

President

Recent Population

31,072,040

Date of Last Census

2020

Nana Akufo-Addo (1944- )

Guinea

Time in Office

1958-1984

Title

President

Recent Population

12,907,395

Date of Last Census

2021

Ahmed Sékou Touré (1922-1984)

Time in Office

2021-

Title

President

Recent Population

12,907,395

Date of Last Census

2021

Mamady Doumbouya (1980- )

Guinea-Bissau

Time in Office

1973-1980

Title

President

Recent Population

1,530,673

Date of Last Census

2021

Luis Cabral (1931-2009)

Time in Office

2020-

Title

President

Recent Population

1,530,673

Date of Last Census

2021

Umaro Embaló
(1972- )

Ivory Coast

Time in Office

1960-1993

Title

President

Recent Population

27,087,732

Date of Last Census

2021

Félix Houphouet-Boigny (1905-1993)

Time in Office

2010-

Title

President

Recent Population

27,087,732

Date of Last Census

2021

Alassane Ouattara
(1942- )

Kenya

Time in Office

1964-1978

Title

President

Recent Population

47,564,290

Date of Last Census

2019

Jomo Kenyatta (c. 1894-1978)

Uhuru Kenyatta (Encyclopedia Britannica)

Time in Office

2013-

Title

President

Recent Population

47,564,290

Date of Last Census

2019

Uhuru Kenyatta
(1961- )

Lesotho

Time in Office

1965-1986

Title

Prime Minister

Recent Population

2,007,200

Date of Last Census

2016

Joseph Leabua Jonathan (1914-1987)

Time in Office

2020-2022

Title

Prime Minister

Recent Population

2,007,200

Date of Last Census

2016

Moeketsi Majoro
(1961- )

Liberia

Time in Office

1848-1856

Title

President

Recent Population

4,661,010

Date of Last Census

2021

Joseph Jenkins Roberts (1809–1876)

Time in Office

2018-

Title

President

Recent Population

4,661,010

Date of Last Census

2021

George Weah
(1966- )

Libya

Time in Office

1951-1969

Title

President

Recent Population

6,595,000

Date of Last Census

2021

King Idris (1889/90-1983)

Time in Office

2021-

Title

President

Recent Population

6,595,000

Date of Last Census

2021

Mohamed Younis al-Menfi
(1976- )

Madagascar

Time in Office

2019-

Title

President

Recent Population

28,427,328

Date of Last Census

2021

Andry Rajoelina
(1974- )

Philibert Tsiranaana (Rakibolana Malagasy)

Time in Office

1960-1972

Title

President

Recent Population

28,427,328

Date of Last Census

2021

Philibert Tsiranana (1912-1978)

Malawi

Time in Office

1964-1994

Title

Prime Minister

Recent Population

16,632,900

Date of Last Census

2016

Hastings Banda (ca. 1896-1997)

Time in Office

2020-

Title

President

Recent Population

16,632,900

Date of Last Census

2016

Lazarus McCarthy Chakwera
(1995- )

Mali

Time in Office

1960-1968

Title

President

Recent Population

20,856,000

Date of Last Census

2021

Modibo Keita (1915-1977)

Time in Office

2021-

Title

President

Recent Population

20,856,000

Date of Last Census

2021

Assimi Goita
(1983- )

Mauritania

Time in Office

2019-

Title

President

Recent Population

3,718,678

Date of Last Census

2016

Mohamed Ould Ghazouani
(1956- )

Time in Office

1960-1978

Title

President

Recent Population

3,718,678

Date of Last Census

2016

Moktar Ould Daddah (1924-2003)

Mauritius

Time in Office

1968-1982

Title

Prime Minister

Recent Population

1,261,208

Date of Last Census

2014

Seewoosagur Ramgoolam (1900-1985)

Time in Office

2019-

Title

President

Recent Population

1,261,208

Date of Last Census

2014

Pravind Kumar Jugnauth
(1961- )

Morocco

Time in Office

1955-1958

Title

Prime Minister

Recent Population

37,034,729

Date of Last Census

2020

Mohammed V (1909-1961)

King Mohammed VI of Morocco (Mustafa Yalcin--Anadoulu Agency)

Time in Office

2021-

Title

Prime Minister

Recent Population

37,034,729

Date of Last Census

2020

Mohammed VI
(1963- )

Mozambique

Time in Office

1975-1986

Title

President

Recent Population

28,013,000

Date of Last Census

2015

Samora Moises Machel (1933-1986)

Time in Office

2015-

Title

President

Recent Population

28,013,000

Date of Last Census

2015

Filipe Jacinto Nyusi
(1959- )

Namibia

Time in Office

1990-2005

Title

President

Recent Population

2,550,225

Date of Last Census

2021

Sam Nujoma (1929- )

Time in Office

2015-

Title

President

Recent Population

2,550,225

Date of Last Census

2021

Hage Gottfried Geingob
(1941- )

Niger

Time in Office

1960-1974

Title

President

Recent Population

24,112,753

Date of Last Census

2021

Hamani Diori (1916-1989)

Time in Office

2021-

Title

President

Recent Population

24,112,753

Date of Last Census

2021

Mohamed Bazoum
(1960- )

Nigeria

Time in Office

1960-1966

Title

Prime Minister

Recent Population

206,139,589

Date of Last Census

2020

Sir Abubakar Tafawa Balewa (1912-1966)

Muhammadu Buhari, President of the Federal Republic of Nigeria (Wikipedia)

Time in Office

2015-

Title

President

Recent Population

206,139,589

Date of Last Census

2020

Muhammadu Buhari
(1942- )

Republic of the Congo

Time in Office

1960-1963

Title

President

Recent Population

5,657,000

Date of Last Census

2019

Fulbert Youlou (1917-1972)

Denis Sassou-Nguesso (Encyclopedia Britannica)

Time in Office

1997-

Title

President

Recent Population

5,657,000

Date of Last Census

2019

Denis Sassou-Nguesso (1943- )

Rwanda

Time in Office

1961-1962

Title

Prime Minister

Recent Population

12,955,768

Date of Last Census

2021

Grégoire Kayibanda (1924-1976)

Time in Office

2000-

Title

President

Recent Population

12,955,768

Date of Last Census

2021

Paul Kagame (1957- )

São Tomé and Principe

Time in Office

1975-1991

Title

President

Recent Population

201,784

Date of Last Census

2018

Manuel Pinto da Costa
(1937- )

Time in Office

2021-

Title

Prime Minister

Recent Population

201,784

Date of Last Census

2018

Jorge Lopes Bom Jesus (1962- )

Senegal

Time in Office

1960-1980

Title

President

Recent Population

14,354,690

Date of Last Census

2015

Léopold Sédar Senghor (1906-2001)

Time in Office

2010-

Title

President

Recent Population

14,354,690

Date of Last Census

2015

Macky Sall (1961- )

Seychelles

Time in Office

1976-1977

Title

President

Recent Population

99,202

Date of Last Census

2021

James Richard Marie Mancham (1939-2017)

Wavel Ramkalawan, President of Seychelles (Wikipedia)

Time in Office

2020-

Title

President

Recent Population

99,202

Date of Last Census

2021

Wavel Ramkalawan (1961- )

Sierra Leone

Time in Office

1958-1964

Title

Prime Minister

Recent Population

8,297,882

Date of Last Census

2021

Milton Augustus Margai (1895-1964)

Time in Office

2018-

Title

President

Recent Population

8,297,882

Date of Last Census

2021

Julius Maada Wonie Bio
(1964- )

Somalia

Time in Office

1960-1967

Title

President

Recent Population

15,893,222

Date of Last Census

2019

Aden Abdullah Osman Daar (1908-2007)

Time in Office

2022-

Title

President

Recent Population

15,893,222

Date of Last Census

2019

Hassan Sheikh Mohamud (1955- )

South Africa

Time in Office

1994-1999

Title

President

Recent Population

60,142,978

Date of Last Census

2021

Nelson Rolihlahla Mandela (1918-2013)

Time in Office

2018-

Title

President

Recent Population

60,142,978

Date of Last Census

2021

Cyril Ramaphosa (1952- )

South Sudan

Time in Office

2011-

Title

President

Recent Population

13,249,924

Date of Last Census

2021

Salva Kiir Mayardit (1951- )

Sudan

Time in Office

1954-1956

Title

Prime Minister

Recent Population

42,268,264

Date of Last Census

2020

Ismail Al-Azhari (1900-1969)

Time in Office

2021-

Title

Prime Minister

Recent Population

42,268,264

Date of Last Census

2020

Abdel Fattah al-Burhan (1960- )

Tanzania

Time in Office

1964-1985

Title

President

Recent Population

59,734,218

Date of Last Census

2020

Julius K. Nyerere (1922-1999)

Time in Office

2021-

Title

President

Recent Population

59,734,218

Date of Last Census

2020

Samia Suluhu Hassan (1960- )

Togo

Time in Office

1960-1961

Title

Prime Minister

Recent Population

7,886,000

Date of Last Census

2021

Sylvanus Olympio (1902-1963)

Time in Office

2005-

Title

President

Recent Population

7,886,000

Date of Last Census

2021

Faure Gnassingbé (1966- )

Tunisia

Time in Office

1956-1957

Title

Prime Minister

Recent Population

11,746,695

Date of Last Census

2020

Habib Bourguiba (1903-2000)

Time in Office

2019-

Title

President

Recent Population

11,746,695

Date of Last Census

2020

Kaïs Saïed (1958- )

Uganda

Time in Office

1966-1971

Title

Prime Minister

Recent Population

45,741,007

Date of Last Census

2020

Milton Obote (1925-2005)

Time in Office

1986-

Title

President

Recent Population

45,741,007

Date of Last Census

2020

Yoweri Kaguta Museveni (1944- )

Western Sahara (Sahrawi Arab Democratic Republic)

Time in Office

1976-1976

Title

President

Recent Population

510,713

Date of Last Census

2014

El-Ouali Mustafa Sayed (1948-1976)

Brahim Ghali speaking into a microphone in 2019

Time in Office

2016-

Title

President

Recent Population

510,713

Date of Last Census

2014

Brahim Ghali
(1949- )

Zambia

Time in Office

1964-1991

Title

President

Recent Population

15,473,905

Date of Last Census

2015

Kenneth Kaunda (1924- )

Time in Office

2021-

Title

President

Recent Population

15,473,905

Date of Last Census

2015

Hakainde Hichilema
(1962- )

Zimbabwe

Time in Office

1980-1987

Title

Prime Minister

Recent Population

15,790,716

Date of Last Census

2021

Robert Gabriel Mugabe (1924-2019)

Time in Office

2017-

Title

President

Recent Population

15,790,716

Date of Last Census

2021