NEWS
Breaking national and international news. This section keeps you updated on major events shaping the world, in real time.
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Benin: ban on vehicles with tinted windows; crackdown announced
The Ministry of the Interior and Public Security has announced a ban on the circulation of vehicles equipped with opaque or heavily tinted front windows. This measure, which will come into force on October 1, 2025, aims to strengthen the… -
Benin: eighteen people arrested for relieving themselves in public
The Republican Police arrested eighteen individuals in Cotonou on Thursday, September 11, 2025, for relieving themselves in public. The operation, carried out by the police station of the 5ᵉ arrondissement, is part of a campaign to combat unsanitary conditions and… -
Benin – Early end to the school year: several school operators warned
The Ministry of Nursery and Primary Education has followed through on its warnings against institutions that close their doors before the deadline set by the school calendar. As a result, the proprietors of several private schools in Benin were formally… -
Benin: Adoption of Water Development and Management Master Plans for the Niger and Volta River Basins.
As part of its integrated water resources management policy, our country has just taken a crucial step with the official adoption of the Water Development and Management Master Plans (SDAGE) for the Niger and Volta basins. This commitment reaffirms the… -
Benin: the government submits the 2026 draft budget bill to the National Assembly
At a Council of Ministers meeting on Wednesday, September 10, 2025, the government announced it was forwarding to the National Assembly the draft finance bill for fiscal year 2026. The document will be submitted for examination by deputies during the… -
Cybercrime: The United States puts a $10 million bounty on a Ukrainian hacker’s head
The United States and its allies have launched a sweeping international manhunt targeting Volodymyr Viktorovych Tymoshchuk, a 28-year-old Ukrainian cybercriminal suspected of conducting large-scale ransomware operations worldwide. The State Department’s Bureau of International Narcotics and Law Enforcement Affairs announced on… -
Start of the 2025-2026 academic year: talks between the government and social partners
The government, labor unions, and employers met this Tuesday, September 9, for an extraordinary session of the National Commission for Dialogue, Consultation and Collective Bargaining. The goal of this session is to best prepare for the 2025–2026 school and academic… -
Cybercrime: a 22-year-old man arrested in Djidja
The Mougnon district police station struck a major blow in the fight against cybercrime. On Wednesday, September 3, 2025, officers arrested a 22-year-old man, a glazier by trade, residing in Mougnon-Houéli. The operation, carried out discreetly, was made possible by… -
Sèmè-Podji: 511 kg of cannabis seized by the Republican Police
As part of the relentless fight against trafficking in psychoactive substances, the Republican Police carried out a major raid in Sèmè-Podji. Overnight from Saturday, September 6 to Sunday, September 7, 2025, officers from the district police station intercepted 511 kilograms of… -
Niger: Journalist Ali Soumana jailed in Say after a complaint from the Prime Minister
Nigerien journalist Ali Soumana, publisher of the weekly Le Courrier, was placed in detention on Monday, September 8, 2025 at Say prison, near Niamey. He had been arrested two days earlier, following a complaint filed by Prime Minister Ali Mahamane Lamine Zeine for defamation.… -
Benin – Accident in Zongo: a truck crashes into a store in Cotonou
An accident with no loss of life occurred on Monday in the Zongo neighborhood, located in Cotonou’s 5th arrondissement, Littoral Department. A “Titan” truck crashed violently into a shop, causing significant property damage. According to initial witness accounts gathered at… -
Clashes in Godomey during an eviction operation: several injured and arrests made
A sidewalk-clearing operation turned violent on Saturday, September 6 in Godomey, in the commune of Abomey-Calavi. Clashes broke out between law enforcement and young vendors, leaving several people injured and leading to arrests. The operation, carried out by officers from… -
Benin: Hugues Sossoukpè’s legal team holds the Ivorian government responsible for the extradition of a refugee
Les aavocats du journaliste et lanceur d’alerte Comlan Hugues Sossoukpè ont donné de la voix ce lundi 8 septembre 2025 à travers un communiqué. Dans ledit communiqué, le collège d’avocats a jugé “inacceptable” l’argument avancé par le gouvernement ivoirien, selon… -
Benin: police officers urged to crack down on encroachment on public space
The Ministry of the Interior and Public Security has announced new measures to enforce public order in the country’s major cities, notably in the Grand Nokoué. In a new official statement, the ministry led by Alassane Séidou has instructed the… -
Benin: the MPL explains what prompted its departure from the CCO
The Popular Liberation Movement (MPL), the party led by Expérience Tebe, is no longer a member of the opposition’s consultative framework (CCO). The party has formalized its withdrawal from the opposition’s forum for dialogue opposed to the “rupture” regime. On… -
Benin: new hospital, hotel, and industrial projects approved under the Investment Code
Meeting in the Council of Ministers on Wednesday, September 10, 2025, under the chairmanship of Head of State Patrice Talon, the government granted several approvals under the Investment Code. These concern large-scale projects in the health, tourism, and industrial sectors,… -
Benin: Summary of the Council of Ministers meeting on Wednesday, September 10, 2025
Le Conseil des Ministres s’est réuni mercredi, le 10 septembre 2025, sous la présidence de Monsieur Patrice Talon, Président de la République, Chef de l’État, Chef du Gouvernement. Les décisions ci-après ont été prises : I- Mesures normatives. Transmission à l’Assemblée… -
Benin: Key decisions from the Council of Ministers meeting on Wednesday, September 10, 2025
The Council of Ministers met on Wednesday, September 10, 2025, under the chairmanship of Mr. Patrice Talon, President of the Republic, Head of State, Head of Government. The following major decisions were made. -
Benin: Private schools penalized for closing early ahead of the holidays
On September 8, 2025, the Ministry of Nursery and Primary Education issued a written warning to several private school proprietors. The reason: the premature closure of their schools before the school holidays, observed during an inspection mission conducted this past… -
Benin: SBEE HR director and two executives placed in pretrial detention
The Human Resources Director of the Société Béninoise d’Énergie Électrique (SBEE), Nicaise Antonio, has been placed in pretrial detention by the Cour de répression des infractions économiques et du terrorisme (CRIET). Two other executives of the public company, Adognon Éloi… -
Benin: The relocation of Dantokpa Market starts on January 5, 2026, and will last 10 days.
L’Agence Nationale de Gestion des Marchés (ANaGeM) entame le transfert des marchands du marché de Dantokpa vers de nouvelles infrastructures modernes du 5 au 15 janvier 2026. Le compte à rebours est lancé pour le plus grand marché d’Afrique de… -
Benin: Handcarts banned on major roads
The Republican Police announced on Monday, September 8, 2025, a ban on hand-pulled vehicles on the country’s main paved roads. The decision aims to enhance safety, ease traffic flow, and improve urban aesthetics. The chaotic movement of pushcarts, carts, and… -
Benin: Expérience Tèbè’s MPL withdraws from the Opposition Consultation Framework
The Popular Liberation Movement (MPL) announced its withdrawal from the Consultation Framework of opposition political forces on Friday, September 5, 2025, in Cotonou. The party, led by Expérience A. Tèbè, justified its decision by citing a “lack of cohesion” and… -
Youth Day: Dedras NGO, Care Benin/Togo, and ECOWAS join forces for the future
Dedras NGO, in partnership with CARE Benin/Togo and ECOWAS, celebrated the 2025 International Youth Day belatedly at CEG Gbégamey in Cotonou on September 4 and 5, 2025. The celebration kicked off the day before, on Thursday, September 4, with a… -
Agoué: Robbery Foiled in a Church Thanks to Pastor and Police Intervention
A robbery attempt was thwarted on Friday night in Agoué, inside an evangelical church. According to initial reports, the suspect, a boatman residing in Hillacondji, returned from an unsuccessful fishing trip and allegedly decided to break into the church in… -
Benin: Customs Officers Attacked by Smugglers in Ifangni
Customs officers were targeted by smugglers in Banigbé-Sèdo, Ifangni, where their vehicle was set ablaze and the driver fatally beaten. The incident occurred on Wednesday, September 3, in the village of Banigbé-Sèdo, in the Banigbé district of Ifangni. According to… -
Romuald Wadagni: “I’m looking for the one who could come and beat him,” says Louis Vlavonou
The President of the National Assembly, Louis Vlavonou, has expressed strong satisfaction with the ruling coalition’s choice for the 2026 presidential election, declaring that he doubts the existence of any challenger capable of defeating their candidate at the polls. During… -
“It will be difficult for the opposition to find a profile better than our candidate’s,” says Wilfried Houngbédji
The government of the rupture, through its spokesperson Léandre Wilfried Houngbédji, has commented on the choice of Romuald Wadagni as the candidate to succeed Patrice Talon. According to Houngbédji, this choice puts the opposition in a difficult position, as it… -
2026 General Elections: Tax Authority Outlines Measures for Fiscal Clearance Certificate
In 2026, Beninese citizens will head to the polls for the general elections. One of the key documents required to validate candidacy applications is the fiscal clearance certificate (quitus fiscal). To ensure its effective and uninterrupted availability, the General Directorate… -
Benin: Dozens of Overloaded Vehicles Stopped Across Several Departments
On Tuesday, September 2, 2025, several vehicles carrying oversized or overloaded cargo were intercepted in multiple departments of the country. The operation was jointly carried out by the National Land Transport Agency (ANaTT), the National Road Safety Center (CNSR), the…