Patrice Talon
President
Timeline
Born in Ouidah on 1 May.
Became involved in trading packaging and agricultural inputs.
Pardoned after fleeing to France due to accusations of embezzlement and a plot to kill President Boni Yayi.
Elected as President of Benin in March and inaugurated on 6 April.
Reelected as President of Benin with 86% of the vote.
Appointed the new president of the West African Economic and Monetary Union (WAEMU).
Announced he would not seek a third presidential term; faced a coup attempt in December.
Concluded his presidency and was elected as the first president of the Senate on 6 August.
Biography
Patrice Guillaume Athanase Talon is a Beninese politician and businessman. He currently serves as the first president of the Senate since 2026. Prior to this, he was the eighth president of Benin from 2016 to 2026. Known as the "King of Cotton" due to his involvement in the cotton industry, Talon built a business empire before entering politics. He ran as an independent candidate in the 2016 presidential election, winning in the second round, and was reelected in 2021. During his presidency, he oversaw a modest economic transformation and faced challenges including a decline in Benin's democratic reputation and coup attempts.
Early Life & Background
Patrice Guillaume Athanase Talon was born in Ouidah on 1 May 1958. He is of Fon origin. His father hailed from Ouidah, while his mother came from a Guédégbé family in Abomey. In his early years, Talon had ambitions of becoming a pilot, studying mathematics and physics at the University of Dakar before transferring to the École nationale de l'aviation civile in Paris. However, he was medically disqualified, leading him to pursue other career paths.
Education
After completing secondary school with a baccalauréat, Patrice Talon studied mathematics and physics at the University of Dakar. He later transferred to the École nationale de l'aviation civile in Paris, though he was ultimately disqualified by a medical test.
Political & Professional Career
Patrice Talon was a chief financial backer for President Thomas Boni Yayi, financing his campaigns in 2006 and 2011. In 2012, he fled to France after being accused of embezzlement and involvement in a plot to kill Boni Yayi, but was pardoned in 2014. He ran as an independent candidate in the March 2016 presidential election, winning the second round with 65% of the vote. Talon was inaugurated as the eighth president of Benin on 6 April 2016, serving until 2026. He was reelected in 2021. In March 2022, he was appointed president of the West African Economic and Monetary Union (WAEMU). After leaving the presidency, Talon was elected as the first president of the Senate on 6 August 2026, securing 24 out of 25 votes.
Key Achievements & Legacy
Elected as the eighth president of Benin in 2016 and reelected in 2021., Oversaw a modest economic transformation of Benin following major infrastructure investment., Appointed as the new president of the West African Economic and Monetary Union (WAEMU) in March 2022., Instrumental in the constitutional reform establishing the Senate, and subsequently elected its first president in 2026., Successfully suppressed a coup attempt against his government in December 2025.