Benin, religious leaders mobilized against terrorism financing

Religious leaders and officials from Beninese organizations have been participating since Tuesday, September 15, 2026, in Cotonou in a seminar focused on preventing money laundering and terrorism financing. The meeting is organized by the Intergovernmental Action Group against Money Laundering in West Africa (GIABA), with support from the government and the National Financial Information Processing Unit (CENTIF).

The government states that the seminar aims to enhance community awareness, interfaith dialogue, and cooperation between religious organizations and public institutions. The Minister Delegate for Interior and Public Security, Djibril Mama Cissé, presided over the seminar’s opening, which includes religious leaders and stakeholders from the national framework for combating illicit financial flows.

This meeting comes amid an increase in financial intelligence activity. In its 2025 annual report, CENTIF indicates that it produced 154 financial intelligence reports, marking a 27% increase compared to 2024. Of this total, 117 were forwarded to the National Cyber Investigations Center, 18 to the General Directorate of Taxes, seven to the CRIET, and 12 to other competent authorities and intelligence services.

In the same year, CENTIF recorded 529 suspicious transaction reports. Cases related to fraud and cybercrime accounted for 35.2% of the underlying offenses reported, followed by tax fraud at 23.3%. The institution also noted the emergence of money laundering schemes utilizing electronic payment terminals and other digital financial instruments.

The report further specifies that CENTIF exercised its right of opposition on five suspicious transactions totaling 1.16 billion FCFA in 2025. These precautionary measures were taken to prevent the dissipation of funds that showed serious signs of laundering while investigations were ongoing.

In Cotonou, the president of CENTIF, Abdou Rafiou Bello, emphasized that financing enables terrorist groups to recruit, move, and equip themselves. GIABA aims to empower religious leaders as conduits for prevention and awareness within their communities, while enhancing their understanding of the risks associated with illicit financial flows.

The seminar is scheduled to conclude on Wednesday, September 16, 2026.