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African Heads of State List (Presidents, Prime Ministers & Kings)

The 2024 African Heads of State list by Povo News explores the ages, education, and time in office of Africa’s Presidents, Prime Ministers, and Kings as of 1 August 2024.

Titles of African Heads of State

The majority of African heads of state are titled Presidents, totaling 48 (91%), followed by Prime Ministers at 4 (6%), and Kings at 2 (2%) reflecting a preference for presidential systems over monarchies.

The age of African Heads of State

Only 11% of African Heads of State are under 50, while the overwhelming majority—89%—are over 50, highlighting the continued dominance of the older generation in African politics.

  • Oldest African Head of State:91-year-old Cameroon President Paul Biya
  • Youngest African Head of State: 35-year-old Burkina Faso President Ibrahim Traoré
  • Average age: 68 years
  • Mode age: 64 years
  • Range age: 55 years

Educational background of African Heads of State

The most common educational qualification among African Heads of State is a bachelor’s degree (33%) followed by military (20%), high school (15%), PhD (13%), Masters’s degree (11%), and Artisans (2%).

African Heads of State Time in Office

The majority of African heads of state (61.7%, or 29 out of 47) serve for 5 years or less. Notably, Namibian President Bassirou Diomaye Faye has been in office for just 4 months.

In contrast, only 23.4% (11 out of 47) of African heads of state have served for 11 years or more, with Paul Biya of Cameroon holding the record at 42 years in power.

The prevalence of shorter terms suggests frequent leadership changes, while longer tenures often reflect leaders with significant control over political systems and limited democratic space, facilitating extended rule.

CountryHead of State (s)DOBHighest qualificationAssumed office
AlgeriaPresident Abdelmadjid Tebboune17 November 1945Bachelor’s degree in Economics & Finance 19 December 2019
AngolaPresident João Lourenço5 March 1954Masters in Historical Studies26 September 2017
BeninPresident Patrice Talon1 May 1958BSc Maths & Physics 6 April 2016
BotswanaPresident Mokgweetsi Masisi21 July 1961BA in English & History1 April 2018
Burkina FasoPresident Ibrahim Traoré14 March 1988BSc Geology30 September 2022
BurundiPresident Évariste Ndayishimiye4 May 1968Bachelor of Laws18 June 2020
CameroonPresident Paul Biya13 February 1933Diploma in Public Law November 1982
Cape VerdePrime Minister José Maria Neves28 March 1960Degree in Business Administration 9 November 2021
Central African RepublicPresident Faustin-Archange Touadéra21 April 1957PhD in Maths30 March 2016
ChadPresident Mahamat Déby4 April 1984Military school20 April 2021
ComorosPresident Azali Assoumani1 January 1959Military school 3 April 2019
Congo-Brazzaville (Republic of Congo)President Denis Sassou Nguesso23 November 1943Military school 25 October 1997
Democratic Republic of Congo (DRC)President Félix Tshisekedi13 June 1963N/A24 January 2019
DjiboutiPresident Ismaïl Omar Guelleh27 November 1946N/A8 May 1999
EgyptPresident Abdel Fattah el-Sisi
19 November 1954Military school8 June 2014
Equitorial GuineaPresident Teodoro Obiang Nguema Mbasogo5 June 1942Degree in Labor Administration 12 October 1982
EritreaPresident Isaias Afwerki2 February 1946N/A24 May 1993
EswatiniKing Mswati III19 April 1968N/A25 April 1986
EthiopiaPrime Minister Abiy Ahmed15 August 1976MBA2 April 2018
GabonPresident Brice Oligui Nguema3 March 1975Military school30 August 2023
The GambiaPresident Adama Barrow15 February 1965N/A19 January 2017
GhanaPresident Nana Akufo-Addo19 March 1944BSc Economics 7 January 2017
GuineaPresident Mamady Doumbouya4 March 1980Military school5 September 2021
Guinea-BissauPresident Umaro Sissoco Embaló23 September 1972PhD in International Relations 27 February 2020
Ivory CoastPresident Alassane Ouattara1 January 1942PhD in Economics 4 December 2010
KenyaPresident William Ruto21 December 1966PhD in Plant Ecology13 September 2022
LesothoPrime Minister Sam Matekane15 March 1958Mechanic Artisan28 October 2022
LiberiaPresident Joseph Boakai30 November 1944Bachelor’s degree in Business
LibyaPresident Mohamed al-Menfi3 March 1976N/A15 March 2021
MadagascarPresident Andry Rajoelina30 May 1974N/A16 December 2023
MalawiPresident Lazarus Chakwera5 April 1955PhD in Theology28 June 2020
MaliPresident Assimi Goïta1983Military school24 May 2021
MauritaniaPresident Mohamed Ould Ghazouani4 December 1956Masters degree 1 August 2019
MauritiusPrime Minister Pravind Jugnauth25 December 2961Law degree23 January 2017
MoroccoKing Mohammed VI21 August 1963PhD in Law23 July 1999
MozambiquePresident Filipe Nyusi9 February 1959Mechanical Engineering degree 15 January 2015
NamibiaPresident Nangolo Mbumba15 August 1941MSc in Biology4 February 2024
NigerPresident Abdourahamane Tchiani1960Military school28 July 2023
NigeriaPresident Bola Tinubu29 March 1952BSc in Accounting 29 May 2023
RwandaPresident Paul Kagame23 October 1957Military school22 April 2000
Sao Tome and PrincipePresident Carlos Vila Nova27 July 1959Degree in Telecommunications Engineering 2 October 2021
Senegal President Bassirou Diomaye Faye25 March 1980Master’s degree in Law2 April 2024
SeyechellesPresident Wavel Ramkalawan15 March 1959Degree in Theology 26 October 2020
Sierra Leone President Julius Maada Bio12 May 1964Military school4 April 2018
SomaliaPresident Hassan Sheikh Mohamud29 November 1955PhD in Peace, Governance & Development 23 May 2022
South AfricaPresident Cyril Ramaphosa17 November 1952Law degree15 February 2018
South SudanPresident Salva Kiir Mayardit13 September 1951N/A9 July 2011
SudanPresident Abdel Fattah al-Burhan1961Military school12 April 2019
TanzaniaPresident Samia Suluhu Hassan27 January 1960MSc in Community Economic Development19 March 2021
TogoPresident Faure Gnassingbé6 June 1966MBA4 May 2005
TunisiaPresident Kais Saied22 February 1958Bachelor of Law23 October 2019
UgandaPresident Yoweri Museveni15 September 1944BA in Economics and Political Science 26 January 1986
ZambiaPresident Hakainde Hichilema4 June 1962MBA24 August 2021
ZimbabwePresident Emmerson Mnangagwa15 September 1942Law degree24 November 2017