The West African regional bloc, ECOWAS, has declared a state of emergency in response to a growing wave of coups and worsening security conditions across several member states.
The announcement was delivered by the ECOWAS Commission President, Omar Touray, at a meeting of the Mediation and Security Council in Abuja. He warned that the situation in the region had reached a critical point, calling for urgent collective action.
The announcement follows a recent coup attempt in Benin on Sunday, 7 December 2025, when a faction of military personnel claimed to have ousted President Patrice Talon, who is due to step down in April 2026 after a decade in office.
The incident is particularly alarming given Benin’s reputation as one of Africa’s most stable democracies, with no successful coups since 1991.
Touray said the recent political upheavals underscored the need for “serious reflection on the future of democracy” in West Africa and renewed investment in regional security.
West Africa has experienced a series of military takeovers in recent years, including in Mali, Burkina Faso, Niger and Guinea-Bissau. Security agencies in other states have also reported attempted coups and mutinies.
Tuesday’s meeting was convened to assess the rising threats, ranging from unconstitutional changes of government to violent extremism, and to explore measures aimed at stabilising the region.
ECOWAS has faced heightened pressure after the juntas in Mali, Burkina Faso and Niger announced plans to withdraw from the bloc earlier this year a move that has complicated the organisation’s crisis-management efforts.
Further decisions are expected as regional ministers continue their deliberations in Abuja.
