Benin’s executive is projecting an ambitious budgetary path for the coming years. According to projections in the Multi-year Budgetary and Economic Programming Document (DPBEP), the wage bill-to-tax revenue ratio is expected to drop from 32.2% in 2025 to 30.9% in 2026, well below the 35% regional ceiling set by UEMOA.
This performance reflects the government’s determination to maintain fiscal discipline without calling into question priority social investments.
To reach this goal, the executive is preparing a series of reforms included in the 2026 draft budget law. They are aimed mainly at better steering the civil service and containing the growth of payroll costs.
Digitization, cost rationalization, and streamlining headcount are the pillars of this strategy. The government notably plans to continue cleaning up the State payroll file through regular checks on agents’ administrative status, processing career actions, and verifying financial obligations. This is complemented by collecting the Personal Identification Numbers (NPI) of civil servants and their dependents to ensure interoperability with ANIP’s database.
Another key lever is the development of the Integrated Human Resources and Payroll Management System (SIGRHP). This digital tool should make it possible to automate grade changes, improve the reliability of payroll forecasts, and strengthen transparency in human resources management.
Tight control over operating expenditures
Budget control doesn’t concern only the wage bill. Operating expenses will also be subject to stricter monitoring. Purchases of goods and services will be governed by price benchmarks and framework agreements, particularly for IT equipment.
Pooling orders and periodic spending reviews aim to optimize the use of public funds and limit overruns. Despite this shift toward tighter management, the government says it is not adopting an austerity policy. On the contrary, social spending is expected to be strengthened.
This strategy reflects a political will to consolidate the country’s macroeconomic stability while sending a signal of credibility to investors and financial partners. By successfully reconciling fiscal discipline with social investment, Benin hopes not only to meet its regional commitments but also to strengthen confidence in its economic governance.