General Mamadi Doumbouya, the former junta leader who seized power in Guinea through a military coup in 2021, was sworn in as President of Guinea on 18 January 2026, following his decisive victory in the December 2025 presidential election. The inauguration ceremony was held in Conakry at a newly constructed national stadium and was attended by several African heads of state and high-level regional delegations, underscoring the continental significance of the event.
Among those present were Presidents Paul Kagame of Rwanda, Bassirou Diomaye Faye of Senegal, Adama Barrow of The Gambia, Brice Clotaire Oligui Nguema of Gabon, Joseph Nyuma Boakai of Liberia, Julius Maada Bio of Sierra Leone, Assimi Goïta of Mali, and Mohamed Ould Ghazouani of Mauritania. Nigeria was represented by Vice President Kashim Shettima, who attended on behalf of President Bola Ahmed Tinubu. Senior officials from the African Union and the Economic Community of West African States (ECOWAS) were also in attendance.
Doumbouya, who initially pledged not to seek elective office following his 2021 takeover, presided over the adoption of a new constitution that lifted restrictions on military candidates and extended presidential terms from five to seven years. He subsequently entered the race and was declared winner with approximately 86.7 per cent of the vote, a result later upheld by Guinea’s Supreme Court.
The election, however, attracted criticism from opposition figures and civil society groups, who questioned its competitiveness and fairness, citing limited political space and the absence of a strong opposition presence in the run-up to the polls. Despite these concerns, Doumbouya’s swearing-in formally marked Guinea’s transition from military rule to a civilian presidency, consolidating his grip on executive authority.
As he begins his new term, Doumbouya inherits a country grappling with deep-seated economic and social challenges, including widespread poverty and food insecurity affecting large segments of Guinea’s estimated 15 million population. At the same time, his administration is pushing forward major investment initiatives, notably the Chinese-backed Simandou iron ore project, seen as central to Guinea’s long-term economic ambitions.
