# List of presidents 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.

## List of officeholders
### Status

| No. | Portrait | Name (Birth–Death) | Elected | Term of office | Term of office | Term of office | Political affiliation | Prime minister(s) |
| No. | Portrait | Name (Birth–Death) | Elected | Took office | Left office | Time in office | Political affiliation | Prime minister(s) |
| Republic of Dahomey (1960–1975) |||||||||
| 1 | | Hubert Maga (1916–2000) | 1960 | 1 August 1960 | 28 October 1963 (Deposed in a coup) | 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 in a coup) | 23 days | PDD | Position abolished |
| 3 | | Christophe Soglo (1909–1983) | — | 22 December 1965 | 19 December 1967 (Deposed in a coup) | 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 in a coup) | 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 in a coup) | 172 days | PDD | Position abolished |
| 5 | | Mathieu Kérékou (1933–2015) | — | 26 October 1972 | 30 November 1975 | 3 years, 35 days | Military | Position abolished |
| People's Republic of Benin (1975–1990) |||||||||
| (5) | | Mathieu Kérékou (1933–2015) | 1980 1984 1989 | 30 November 1975 | 1 March 1990 | 14 years, 120 days | Military / PRPB | Position abolished |
| Republic of Benin (1990–present) |||||||||
| (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 | 8 years, 344 days | Independent | Position abolished |