Security expert Prof. Kwesi Aning has warned that the November 26 coup d’état in Guinea-Bissau may not be the last in West Africa, citing deepening g
Security expert Prof. Kwesi Aning has warned that the November 26 coup d’état in Guinea-Bissau may not be the last in West Africa, citing deepening governance and security challenges across the region.
According to him, ongoing concerns about corruption, weak leadership, lack of transparency, and diminishing public trust in democratic institutions continue to create fertile ground for military takeovers.
“There is a bigger question about the usefulness of democracy, the nature of leadership, issues around corruption, transparency… this is not going to end. This may not be the last coup d’état,” he said.
Speaking on Joy FM’s Super Morning Show on Thursday, November 27, Prof. Aning stressed that worsening conditions in several West African countries—where citizens struggle to access basic social amenities—heighten the risk of further military interventions. He attributed the surge in coups in recent years to poor political and economic management.
His comments follow reports that military officers seized control of Guinea-Bissau on Wednesday. President Umaro Sissoco Embaló was reportedly arrested, with gunshots heard in the capital, Bissau.
The soldiers later appeared on state television, announcing the suspension of the electoral process, the closure of national borders, and the imposition of a night-time curfew. They claimed their actions were intended to block an alleged plot by unnamed politicians, supposedly backed by a “well-known drug baron,” to destabilize the country.
Guinea-Bissau held its national elections on Sunday, November 23, 2025, and results were pending at the time of the takeover.