| Term
| Incumbent
| Affiliation
| Notes
|
| Republic of Dahomey | Autonomous
|
| 4 December 1958 to 1 August 1960 | René Tirant , High Commissioner
|
| 1 August 1960 to 31 December 1960 | Coutoucou Hubert Maga, Head of State | RDD
|
| Republic of Dahomey | Independent
|
| 31 December 1960 to 27 October 1963 | Coutoucou Hubert Maga, President | RDD | 1st Term
|
| 27 October 1963 to 28 October 1963 | Provisional Government:-
|
| Coutoucou Hubert Maga, Head of Provisional Government | RDD
|
| Sourou Migan Apithy | PRD
|
| Justin Ahomadegbé-Tomêtin | UDD
|
| 28 October 1963 to 25 January 1964 | Christophe Soglo , Head of Provisional Government | Mil | 1st Term
|
| 25 January 1964 to 27 November 1965 | Sourou Migan Apithy, President | PD
|
| 27 November 1965 to 29 November 1965 | Justin Ahomadegbé-Tomêtin, acting President | PD | 1st Term
|
| 29 November 1965 to 22 December 1965 | Tahirou Congacou , acting President | PD
|
| 22 December 1965 to 19 December 1967 | Christophe Soglo , President | Mil | 2nd Term
|
| 19 December 1967 to 20 December 1967 | Jean-Baptiste Hachème , Chairman of the Revolutionary Committee | Mil
|
| 20 December 1967 to 21 December 1967 | Iropa Maurice Kouandété , Head of State | Mil | 1st Term
|
| 21 December 1967 to 17 July 1968 | Alphonse Amadou Alley, Head of State | Mil
|
| 17 July 1968 to 10 December 1969 | Émile Derlin Henri Zinsou , President
|
| 10 December 1969 to 13 December 1969 | Iropa Maurice Kouandété , Chief-of-Staff of the Army | Mil | 2nd Term
|
| 13 December 1969 to 7 May 1970 | Paul-Émile de Souza , Chairman of the Directory | Mil
|
| 7 May 1970 to 7 May 1972 | Coutoucou Hubert Maga, Chairman of the Presidential Council | RDD | 2nd Term
|
| 7 May 1972 to 26 October 1972 | Justin Ahomadegbé-Tomêtin, Chairman of the Presidential Council | PD | 2nd Term
|
| 26 October 1972 to 30 November 1975 | Mathieu Kérékou, President | Mil/PRPB | 1st Term
|
| People’s Republic of Benin
|
| 30 November 1975 to 1 March 1990 | Mathieu Kérékou, President | Mil/PRPB | 1st Term (contd.)
|
| Republic of Benin
|
| 1 March 1990 to 4 April 1991 | Mathieu Kérékou, President | PRB | 1st Term (contd.)
|
| 4 April 1991 to 4 April 1996 | Nicéphore Dieudonné Soglo , President | PRB
|
| 4 April 1996 to present | Mathieu Kérékou, President | FARD | 2nd Term
|
