President Romuald Wadagni of Bénin has made a landmark decision, naming Captain Elvire Toupé as the presidential aide-de-camp. This appointment marks an unprecedented moment in Bénin’s institutional history.
With this historic designation, a woman now stands at the very core of the presidential close security detail.
Born in Porto-Novo on July 21, 1990, Captain Elvire Toupé’s career is distinguished by both rigorous military discipline and outstanding academic achievements. She was a pioneering member of the inaugural class of the “Enfants de troupe” at the General Mathieu Kérékou Military High School for Young Girls, located in Natitingou.
From 2012 to 2014, she underwent training at the École nationale des officiers de Toffo, where she successfully obtained her diploma as an infantry section leader. Additionally, Captain Toupé holds a bachelor’s degree in medical imaging, a field in which she briefly practiced before fully recommitting to her military vocation.
Achieving the rank of captain in 2021, she currently holds the distinction of being the most senior female officer within the Béninois infantry.
Her extensive professional background includes international experience. Captain Toupé received training at the Caribbean Institute for Professional Military Education in Jamaica and subsequently served with MINUSMA, acting as a military gender advisor from 2017 to 2018.
Fluent in both French and English, she joined the Garde républicaine in 2022. Prior to her new role, she was responsible for security at the Cour des comptes.