Where is Benin? The West African country everyone is talking about— here's why

Where is Benin? The West African country everyone is talking about— here's why

Benin's Interior Minister, Alassane Seidou, stated in a press release on Sunday that the country's armed forces had thwarted an attempted coup. “In the early morning of Sunday, December 7, 2025, a small group of soldiers launched a mutiny with the aim of destabilising the state and its institutions,” Alassane Seidou said.

“Faced with this situation, the Beninese Armed Forces and their leadership, true to their oath, remained committed to the republic,” Seidou said as reported by AP.

Earlier, residents in Cotonou, the economic capital, reported hearing gunfire after a group of soldiers declared that they had removed President Patrice Talon from power. However, according to the president's entourage, he remained unharmed.

Where is Benin?

Benin is a West African country located along the southern coast of the continent, bordering the Gulf of Guinea in the Atlantic Ocean. It is situated between Togo to the west and Nigeria to the east, while Burkina Faso and Niger lie to its north.

Its official capital is Porto-Novo, but Cotonou, located on the coast, serves as the economic hub, largest city, and de facto seat of government.

Benin was formerly known as Dahomey during French colonial rule and gained independence in 1960, adopting the name Republic of Benin in 1975.

Following its independence from France in 1960, the West African nation witnessed multiple coups, especially in the decades following its independence. Since 1991, the country has been politically stable following the two-decade rule of Marxist-Leninist Mathieu Kérékou.

Why did Benin suddenly become “talk of the town”?

Benin faced the danger of a military coup after a group of soldiers claimed that they had removed the President Patrice Talon-led government, and the dissolution of the government following the swift takeover of power.

However, Wilfried Houngbedji, the spokesperson for the Benin Government, told the Associated Press that everything is fine. Talon had been in power since 2016 and was due to step down next April after the presidential election.

Talon's party pick, former Finance Minister Romuald Wadagni, was the favourite to win the election. Opposition candidate Renaud Agbodjo was rejected by the electoral commission on the grounds that he did not have sufficient sponsors.

In January, two associates of Talon were sentenced to 20 years in prison for an alleged 2024 coup plot.

Last month, the country's legislature extended the presidential term of office from five to seven years, keeping the term limit at two.

The coup is the latest in a string of military takeovers that have rocked West Africa. Last month, a military coup in Guinea-Bissau removed former President Umaro Embalo after a contested election in which both he and the opposition candidate declared themselves winners.

How is Talon leading Benin amid ‘failed' military coup attempts?

Called the “King of Cotton” for his vast fortune amassed in the cotton trade, logistics, and aviation sectors, Talon returned from self-imposed exile in 2015 to fund opposition against then-President Boni Yayi, whom he accused of corruption.

He narrowly won the 2016 election with 65% of the vote amid allegations of fraud, then secured a second term in 2021 with 86% after electoral reforms that effectively barred major opponents by requiring candidates to secure endorsements from 10% of deputies and mayors.

According to a report by the International Monetary Fund (IMF), fiscal discipline has reduced debt vulnerability, with IMF support enabling poverty reduction from 40% to 36% of the population, though inequality persists in the north, where jihadist threats from Sahel neighbours like Burkina Faso and Niger have intensified since 2019.

Talon has positioned Benin as a stable ECOWAS anchor, mediating Niger's 2023 coup and advocating for regional integration, while diversifying ties with the US, EU, and China for aid and trade.

(With inputs from agencies)

Source: LiveMint
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