Updated: Top 10 Oldest Presidents in Africa, 2024

The continent of Africa is home to a group of leaders who have been at the forefront of their respective countries’ political scenes for an extended period. These leaders, however, are not without their challenges, as some have been in power for so long that their rule has become synonymous with autocracy and oppression. In this article, we will take a look at the top 10 oldest presidents in Africa as of 2024.

Updated: Top 10 Oldest Presidents in Africa, 2024

1. Paul Biya

Country: Cameroon
Age: 90 Years

Paul biya, Oldest African Presidents, 2021

Paul Biya has been the President of Cameroon since November 1982. At the age of 90 and still in power, Paul Biya is the oldest president in Africa. He is also the second-longest ruling president in Africa (after Teodoro Obiang of Equatorial Guinea), and the longest-ruling non-royal leader in the world.

2. Nangolo Mbumba

Country: Namibia 
Age: 82 years

Oldest president in AfricaNangolo Mbumba is a Namibian politician who is the current President of Namibia after the death of President Hage Geingob on 4 February 2024. He has also served as the second Vice President of Namibia from 2018 to 2024. He is currently the second oldest president in Africa.

Currently Hage Gottfried Geingob is the oldest president in Southern Africa and the 2nd second oldest president in Africa.

3. Alassane Ouattara

Country: Ivory Coast
Age: 81 years

Alassane Ouattara is the third oldest president in Africa

Alassane Dramane Ouattara has been the President of Côte d’Ivoire since 2010. At 80, Alassane Ouattara is the third oldest president in Africa and the second oldest president in west Africa.

4. Teodoro Nguema Mbasogo

Country: Equitorial Guinea
Age: 81

Oldest African presidents

Teodoro Nguema has been President of Equatorial Guinea since 1979. He ousted his uncle, Francisco Macías Nguema, in an August 1979 military coup.

He is the fourth oldest president in Africa, the longest serving president in Africa and the second longest-serving non-royal national leader in the world (after Paul Biya of Cameroon).

5. Emmerson Mnangagwa

Country: Zimbabwe
Age: 81 Years

 Top 10 Oldest African Presidents, 2022

Emmerson Mnangagwa is serving as the third and current President of Zimbabwe since November 2017.

A longtime ally of his predecessor Robert Mugabe and a senior member of the ruling ZANU–PF party, Mnangagwa served as First Vice President of Zimbabwe from 2014 until his dismissal in early-November 2017, which prompted a coup d’état that ousted Mugabe On 21 November 2017, (a removal recognised in a statement by the
African Union, not as a “coup”, but as a legitimate expression of the will of the Zimbabwean people).

Emmerson Mnangagwa is the fifth oldest president in Africa and the oldest president in Southern Africa.

Read More: Top 10 Youngest Presidents In Africa (Updated)

6. Nana Akufo-Addo

Country: Ghana
Age: 79 years

 oldest president in West Africa

Nana Akufo-Addo became the president of Ghana in 2017 after he defeated John Dramani Mahama in the first round (winning with 53.85% of the votes), which marked the first time in a Ghanaian presidential election that an opposition candidate won a majority outright in the first round. Nana was again re-elected in the 2020 general elections (winning with 51.59% of the vote) defeating John Dramani Mahama.

7. Yoweri Museveni

Country: Uganda
Age: 79 years

Yoweri Museveni is the eight oldest president in Africa, 2022

Yoweri Museveni is an Ugandan politician and the ninth and incumbent President of Uganda. Museveni was involved in rebellions that toppled Ugandan leaders Idi Ami and Milton Obote. He was therefore seen by Ugandans as a hero and celebrated by the West as part of a new generation of African leaders. But the 73-year-old has since played fast and loose with the rules, scrapping Presidential term limits in 2005 to enable the extension of his rule. On 16 January 2021, the electoral commission of Uganda announced that Museveni won re-election for a sixth term with 58.6% of the vote in an election that was marred with electoral fraud.

8. Abdelmadjid Tebboune

Country: Algeria
Age: 78 years

Oldest president north Africa 2022

Tebboune took over from former President Abdelaziz Bouteflika, who served as President of Algeria for almost 20 years, from 1999 to his resignation in 2019 and former Acting Head of State Abdelkader Bensalah. Previously, he was Prime Minister of Algeria from May 2017 to August 2017. In addition, he was also Minister of Housing from 2001 to 2002 for a year and again from 2012 to 2017 for 5 years.

Currently Tebboune is the 8th oldest President in Africa, and the oldest president in North Africa.

9. Ahmed Tinubu

Country: Nigeria
Age: 76 years?

Oldest presidents in africa 2023

Nigeria’s president Bola Ahmed Tinubu, who is alleged to be 75 years old, is the 9th oldest president in Africa. However, his age is not without controversy, as there are ongoing debates and conspiracies surrounding his true age, with some claiming he may actually be 85. The uncertainties surrounding his age have sparked discussions about the suitability of an older leader governing a country, particularly when there are concerns about physical stamina and mental agility. Bola Ahmed Tinubu emerged as the victor in Nigeria‘s 2023 election, which was unfortunately marred by unprecedented levels of violence and intense tribal tensions.

10. Ismail Omar Guelleh

Country: Djibouti
Age: 76 years

These are the Oldest presidents in Africa 2022

Ismaïl Omar Guelleh was first elected as President in 1999 as the handpicked successor to his uncle, Hassan Gouled Aptidon, who had ruled Djibouti since independence in 1977. Guelleh was re-elected in 2005, 2011 and again in 2016; Guelleh has been characterized as a dictator, and his rule has been criticized by some human rights groups.

Currently Ismaïl Omar Guelleh is the oldest president in East Africa and the 10th oldest president in Africa.

Extra

Scroll down to see the Top 10 Youngest Serving Presidents (and kings) in Africa as of 2023.

Top 5 Youngest Presidents in Africa (Updated: 2024)

1. Ibrahim Traoré, Burkina Faso (Age: 35)

Ibrahim Traoré youngest president in Africa
Capitaine Ibrahim Traore, Burkina Faso’s president

Ibrahim Traoré is a Burkinabé military officer who has been the leader of Burkina Faso since the 30 September 2022 coup d’état which ousted interim president Paul-Henri Sandaogo Damiba. At age 34, Traoré is Africa’s youngest leader and the world’s youngest currently-serving world leader.

2. Abiy Ahmed, Ethiopia (Age: 47)

abiy ahmed is the youngest president in africa right now

Abiy Ahmed is the second youngest president in Africa. He was born on 15 August 1976 in Beshasha, and became Ethiopia’s prime minister on 2 April 2018. He is married to Zinash Tayachew & has 4 children.

Abiy joined the armed struggle aged 15 & later became a military intelligence officer in the Ethiopian National Defense Force. He has a degree in Computer Engineering, MBA, MA in Leadership, Diploma in Cryptology & a PhD in Peace & Security.

3. Andry Rajoelina, Madagascar (Age: 49)

Andry Rajoelina is the second Youngest Presidents in Africa

Andry Nirina Rajoelina is a Malagasy politician and businessman who has been the president of Madagascar since 2019. He was previously president of a provisional government from 2009 to 2014 following a political crisis and military-backed coup, having held the office of Mayor of Antananarivo for one year prior.

Andry Rajoelina is the third Youngest President in Africa.

4. Évariste Ndayishimiye, Burundi (Age: 55)

youngest president in southern africaÉvariste Ndayishimiye is the fourth youngest president in Africa. Ndayishimiye began his seven-year term on 18 June 2020 and announced his first cabinet on 28 June 2020. He shrunk the cabinet ministers from 21 to 15 and mainly nominated ex-regime hardliners to take up key positions. Ndayishimiye’s tenure has been noted to have been less isolationist than his predecessor.

5. Mswati III, Swaziland (Age: 55)

youngest presidents in africa 2021

Mswati III is the King of Swaziland, a crown he inherited from his father Sobhuza II,. He is the head of the Swazi Royal Family. He was introduced as the crown prince in 1983 and was crowned on April 25 1986, at the age of 18.

Mswati III is currently the fifth youngest head of state in Africa.

Together with his mother, Ntombi Tfwala, now Queen Mother, he rules the country as an absolute monarch. Mswati III is known for his practice of polygamy and currently has 15 wives. Although he is respected and fairly popular in Swaziland, his policies and lavish lifestyle have led to local protests and international criticism.

Mr Madu
Mr Madu
Mr Madu is a freelance writer, a lover of Africa and a frequent hiker who loves long, vigorous walks, usually on hills or mountains.

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