Executive leadership across North and West Africa spans a diverse range of governance structures, from long-serving presidents to transitional administrations and constitutional monarchies.
Executive leadership across North and West Africa spans a diverse range of governance structures, from long-serving presidents to transitional administrations and constitutional monarchies.
| Country | Head of State | In Office | Title | Last Census | Population |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Algeria | Abdelmadjid Tebboune | Since 2019 | President | 2022 | 46,500,000 |
| Benin | Patrice Talon | Since 2016 | President | 2023 | 14,200,000 |
| Burkina Faso | Ibrahim Traoré | Since 2022 | Transition President | 2019 | 23,500,000 |
| Cape Verde | José Maria Neves | Since 2021 | President | 2021 | 600,000 |
| Gambia | Adama Barrow | Since 2017 | President | 2024 | 2,800,000 |
| Ghana | John Mahama | Since 2025 | President | 2021 | 34,500,000 |
| Guinea | Mamady Doumbouya | Since 2021 | Transition President | 2024 | 14,500,000 |
| Guinea-Bissau | Umaro Sissoco Embaló | Since 2020 | President | 2023 | 2,100,000 |
| Ivory Coast | Alassane Ouattara | Since 2010 | President | 2021 | 29,500,000 |
| Libya | Mohamed al-Menfi | Since 2021 | President Council Chairman | 2021 | 7,000,000 |
| Mali | Assimi Goïta | Since 2021 | Transition President | 2022 | 24,000,000 |
| Mauritania | Mohamed Ould Ghazouani | Since 2019 | President | 2023 | 4,900,000 |
| Morocco | King Mohammed VI | Since 1999 | Monarch (King) | 2024 | 38,500,000 |
| Niger | Abdourahamane Tchiani | Since 2023 | Transition President | 2024 | 27,000,000 |
| Nigeria | Bola Tinubu | Since 2023 | President | 2024 | 230,000,000 |
| Senegal | Bassirou Diomaye Faye | Since 2024 | President | 2023 | 18,500,000 |
| Sierra Leone | Julius Maada Bio | Since 2018 | President | 2021 | 8,900,000 |
| Togo | Faure Gnassingbé | Since 2005 | President | 2022 | 9,300,000 |
| Tunisia | Kaïs Saïed | Since 2019 | President | 2024 | 12,500,000 |
On mobile devices, swipe horizontally to view all columns.
Central and East Africa encompass some of the continent's most populous nations, including the Democratic Republic of Congo and Ethiopia, alongside smaller island states and emerging economies.
| Country | Head of State | In Office | Title | Last Census | Population |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Burundi | Évariste Ndayishimiye | Since 2020 | President | 2024 | 13,500,000 |
| Cameroon | Paul Biya | Since 1982 | President | 2023 | 29,500,000 |
| Central African Rep. | Faustin-Archange Touadéra | Since 2016 | President | 2022 | 5,700,000 |
| Chad | Mahamat Déby Itno | Since 2021 | President | 2023 | 18,500,000 |
| Comoros | Azali Assoumani | Since 2016 | President | 2024 | 870,000 |
| Congo (DRC) | Félix Tshisekedi | Since 2019 | President | 2024 | 108,000,000 |
| Congo (Republic) | Denis Sassou Nguesso | Since 1997 | President | 2023 | 6,200,000 |
| Djibouti | Ismaïl Omar Guelleh | Since 1999 | President | 2021 | 1,100,000 |
| Egypt | Abdel Fattah al-Sisi | Since 2014 | President | 2017 | 114,000,000 |
| Eritrea | Isaias Afwerki | Since 1993 | President | N/A (Est.) | 3,800,000 |
| Ethiopia | Taye Atske Selassie | Since 2024 | President | 2021 | 129,000,000 |
| Gabon | Brice Oligui Nguema | Since 2023 | Transitional President | 2024 | 2,500,000 |
| Kenya | William Ruto | Since 2022 | President | 2019 | 56,000,000 |
| Madagascar | Andry Rajoelina | Since 2019 | President | 2018 | 31,000,000 |
| Malawi | Lazarus Chakwera | Since 2020 | President | 2018 | 21,500,000 |
| Mauritius | Prithvirajsing Roopun | Since 2019 | President | 2022 | 1,300,000 |
| Rwanda | Paul Kagame | Since 2000 | President | 2022 | 14,000,000 |
| São Tomé & Príncipe | Carlos Vila Nova | Since 2021 | President | 2024 | 235,000 |
| Seychelles | Wavel Ramkalawan | Since 2020 | President | 2022 | 103,000 |
| Somalia | Hassan Sheikh Mohamud | Since 2022 | President | 2024 | 18,500,000 |
| South Sudan | Salva Kiir Mayardit | Since 2011 | President | 2008 | 12,000,000 |
| Sudan | Abdel Fattah al-Burhan | Since 2019 | Sovereignty Council Chairman | 2018 | 49,000,000 |
| Tanzania | Samia Suluhu Hassan | Since 2021 | President | 2022 | 67,000,000 |
| Uganda | Yoweri Museveni | Since 1986 | President | 2024 | 49,500,000 |
On mobile devices, swipe horizontally to view all columns.
Southern Africa features a mix of established democracies, constitutional monarchies, and nations navigating post-conflict transitions, with South Africa standing as the region's largest economy.
| Country | Head of State | In Office | Title | Last Census | Population |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Angola | João Lourenço | Since 2017 | President | 2024 | 37,800,000 |
| Botswana | Duma Boko | Since 2024 | President | 2022 | 2,600,000 |
| Equatorial Guinea | Teodoro Obiang Nguema Mbasogo | Since 1979 | President | 2015 | 1,700,000 |
| Eswatini | King Mswati III | Since 1986 | Monarch (King) | 2017 | 1,200,000 |
| Lesotho | King Letsie III | Since 1996 | Monarch (King) | 2016 | 2,300,000 |
| Liberia | Joseph Boakai | Since 2024 | President | 2022 | 5,500,000 |
| Mozambique | Daniel Chapo | Since 2025 | President | 2017 | 34,000,000 |
| Namibia | Netumbo Nandi-Ndaitwah | Since 2025 | President | 2023 | 2,700,000 |
| South Africa | Cyril Ramaphosa | Since 2018 | President | 2022 | 61,500,000 |
| Zambia | Hakainde Hichilema | Since 2021 | President | 2022 | 21,000,000 |
| Zimbabwe | Emmerson Mnangagwa | Since 2017 | President | 2022 | 17,000,000 |
On mobile devices, swipe horizontally to view all columns.
1724 Connecticut Ave NW, Suite 300 Washington, DC 20009, USA
+ (202) 870-1567