This article lists the presidents of Benin since the formation of the post of President in 1960, to the present day.
HISTORY
Dahomey formally achieved its independence from France on August 1, 1960, and Hubert Maga was elected as president. Legislative elections were held on December 11, 1960, and the Dahomey Unity Party (Parti Dahomeen de l’Unite – PDU) won 60 out of 60 seats in the National Assembly.
Read: POLITICAL HISTORY OF BENIN
This is a list of presidents of Benin (formerly Dahomey) since the formation of the post of President in 1960, to the present day.
| No. | Name (Birth–Death) |
Elected | Term of office | Political affiliation | Prime minister(s) | |||
| Took office | Left office | Time in office | ||||||
| 1 | Hubert Maga (1916–2000) |
1960 | 1 August 1960 | 28 October 1963 (deposed.) |
3 years, 88 days | RDD | Himself | |
| – | Christophe Soglo (1909–1983) |
— | 28 October 1963 | 25 January 1964 | 89 days | Military | Position abolished | |
| 2 | Sourou-Migan Apithy (1913–1989) |
1964 | 25 January 1964 | 27 November 1965 (resigned.) |
1 year, 306 days | PDD | Ahomadégbé-Tomêtin | |
| – | Justin Ahomadégbé-Tomêtin (1917–2002) |
— | 27 November 1965 | 29 November 1965 | 2 days | PDD | Himself | |
| – | Tahirou Congacou (1911–1993) |
— | 29 November 1965 | 22 December 1965 (deposed.) |
23 days | PDD | Position abolished | |
| 3 | Christophe Soglo (1909–1983) |
— | 22 December 1965 | 19 December 1967 (deposed.) |
1 year, 362 days | Military | Position abolished | |
| – | Jean-Baptiste Hachème (1929–1998) |
— | 19 December 1967 | 20 December 1967 | 1 day | Military | Position abolished | |
| – | Maurice Kouandété (1932–2003) |
— | 20 December 1967 | 21 December 1967 | 1 day | Military | Position abolished | |
| – | Alphonse Alley (1930–1987) |
— | 21 December 1967 | 17 July 1968 | 209 days | Military | Kouandété | |
| 4 | Émile Derlin Zinsou (1918–2016) |
1968 (Jul) | 17 July 1968 | 10 December 1969 (deposed.) |
1 year, 146 days | Independent | Position abolished | |
| – | Maurice Kouandété (1932–2003) |
— | 10 December 1969 | 13 December 1969 | 3 days | Military | Position abolished | |
| – | Paul-Émile de Souza (1930–1999) |
— | 13 December 1969 | 7 May 1970 | 145 days | Military | Position abolished | |
| 1 | Hubert Maga (1916–2000) |
— | 7 May 1970 | 7 May 1972 | 2 years | RDD | Position abolished | |
| 2 | Justin Ahomadégbé-Tomêtin (1917–2002) |
— | 7 May 1972 | 26 October 1972 (deposed.) |
172 days | PDD | Position abolished | |
| 5 | Mathieu Kérékou (1933–2015) |
— | 26 October 1972 | 30 November 1975 | 3 years, 35 days | Military | Position abolished | |
| (5) | Mathieu Kérékou (1933–2015) |
1980 1984 1989 |
30 November 1975 | 1 March 1990 | 14 years, 120 days | Military / PRPB | Position abolished | |
| (5) | Mathieu Kérékou (1933–2015) |
— | 1 March 1990 | 4 April 1991 | 1 year, 34 days | PRPB / Independent | Soglo | |
| 6 | Nicéphore Soglo (born 1934) |
1991 | 4 April 1991 | 4 April 1996 | 5 years | RB | Position abolished | |
| (5) | Mathieu Kérékou (1933–2015) |
1996 2001 |
4 April 1996 | 6 April 2006 | 10 years, 2 days | Independent / FARD–Alafia | Houngbédji | |
| 7 | Thomas Boni Yayi (born 1951) |
2006 2011 |
6 April 2006 | 6 April 2016 | 10 years | Independent | Koupaki zinsou |
|
| 8 | Patrice Talon (born 1958) |
2016 2021 |
6 April 2016 | Incumbent | 7 years, 95 days | Independent | Position abolished | |