The attempted coup was latest threat to democratic norms in the region, where the military have in recent years seized power in Benin's neighbours Niger and Burkina Faso, as well as Mali, Guinea and, only last month, Guinea-Bissau.
At least eight soldiers, several wearing helmets, went on state television on Sunday to announce that a military committee led by Colonel Tigri Pascal had taken over and was dissolving national institutions, suspending the constitution and closing air, land and maritime borders.
"The army solemnly commits to give the Beninese people the hope of a truly new era, where fraternity, justice and work prevail," said a statement read by one of the soldiers.
However, Interior Minister Alassane Seidou said in a statement later on Sunday that the West African country's armed forces had thwarted the attempted coup.
"In the early morning of Sunday, Dec. 7, 2025, a small group of soldiers launched a mutiny with the aim of destabilizing the state and its institutions," Seidou said.
"Faced with this situation, the Beninese Armed Forces and their leadership, true to their oath, remained committed to the republic."
Foreign Minister Olushegun Adjadi Bakari had earlier told Reuters that "a small group" of soldiers had attempted to overthrow the government but that forces loyal to President Patrice Talon were working to restore order.
Earlier on Sunday, gunfire could be heard in several neighbourhoods of Cotonou, the country's largest city and economic hub, as residents were trying to make their way to church early on Sunday morning.
The French embassy said on Facebook that gunfire had been reported near Talon's residence in Cotonou and urged citizens to stay at home.
The announcement came as Benin was preparing for a presidential election in April that would mark the end of the tenure of incumbent Talon, in power since 2016.
Benin's ruling coalition had nominated Finance Minister Romuald Wadagni to be its candidate, positioning a man seen as a key architect of its economic policies to pursue the administration's current reform agenda if elected.
Talon's decision to step down after two terms was a rare move in the West and Central Africa region where democratic norms are increasingly under pressure.
Following its independence from France in 1960, the West African nation witnessed multiple coups, especially in the decades following its independence. Since 1991, the country has been politically stable following the two-decade rule of Marxist-Leninist Mathieu Kérékou.
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