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: End of secret ballots for municipal commissions, a partisan lock-in approved.
The regulatory framework for municipal councils has just undergone a major shift. By Decree No. 2026-028, the Head of State, Patrice Talon, amended Article 45 of the 2022 decree relating to the organization of permanent commissions. The reform ends the… -
University scholarships in Benin: application deadline extended
The Ministry of Higher Education and Scientific Research has announced the extension of the online application process for university scholarships for the 2025-2026 academic year. Initially scheduled to end on Sunday, February 8, 2026 at midnight, the submission of applications… -
Decentralization: The Ouinhi municipality has a new mayor
The commune of Ouinhi now has its new municipal executive. At the conclusion of the installation session of the municipal council, Zannou Bernard was elected mayor of the commune. He will be assisted in his duties by Fatondรฉ Franรงois, elected… -
Benin: a student prosecuted before the CRIET for having impersonated a police commissioner online
A student pursuing studies in political science and international relations appeared, on Thursday, February 12, 2026, before the correctional chamber of the Court for the Repression of Economic Offenses and Terrorism. In his early twenties, he is being prosecuted for… -
Benin: Atacora’s departmental director of the civil service suspended
The Atacora Departmental Director of the Civil Service has been suspended from his duties. To date, no official details have been provided regarding the grounds for this administrative decision. The person concerned has been instructed to organize a handover of… -
Electricity in Benin: the government attributes recent outages to regional technical constraints
Benin now has electric power generation capacity deemed sufficient to cover a significant portion of its needs, thanks to recently commissioned infrastructure. It is on this basis that Minister Counselor Janvier Yahouedehou relied to explain the disruptions observed in the… -
Road safety in Benin: the CNSR launches the national campaign “Take action to move toward zero road deaths”
The National Road Safety Center (CNSR) officially launched a new national awareness campaign aimed at dramatically reducing the number of victims on Benin’s roads. The initiative, titled โActing to Move Toward Zero Road Deaths,โ was presented as part of the… -
Corruption in Africa: Benin ranks higher than Ivory Coast and Nigeria in the CPI 2025
Benin stands out across Africa in the 2025 edition of the Corruption Perceptions Index (CPI), published recently by the international organization Transparency International. Cet indice, rรฉfรฉrence mondiale pour mesurer la perception de la corruption dans le secteur public, classe 182… -
South-South Cooperation: CENA hosts a Senegalese delegation for an exchange of experiences
The Autonomous National Electoral Commission (CENA) of Benin received, on Wednesday, February 11, 2026, a delegation from Senegal’s Directorate General of Elections (DGE) as part of a working visit focused on sharing experiences and strengthening institutional cooperation. The Senegalese mission,… -
Senegal: students file a complaint against Prime Minister Ousmane Sonko
In Dakar, a group of students from Universitรฉ Cheikh Anta Diop (UCAD) announced on Tuesday, February 10, 2026, its intention to file a complaint against Prime Minister Ousmane Sonko, according to the Senegalese press. This move comes in a context… -
National Assembly: Joseph Djogbรฉnou makes his first nominations
Barely elected to lead the National Assembly for the 10th Legislature, Joseph Djogbรฉnou begins the first actions of his term. The new president of Benin’s Parliament has appointed his aides, marking the official start of his administration. According to information… -
Porto-Novo: a motorcyclist arrested with 180 kg of counterfeit medicines after a traffic violation
In Porto-Novo, in the Ouรฉmรฉ Department, a motorcyclist was apprehended with a large quantity of counterfeit pharmaceutical products. The arrest occurred after members of the Republican Police intercepted the suspect for a traffic violation. During the loading check, officers discovered… -
CRIET: a man embezzles nearly 7 million CFA francs entrusted by his late friend and is being pursued by the mistress
On Tuesday, February 10, 2026, a young man appeared before the Court for the Repression of Economic Offenses and Terrorism (CRIET) for acts of misappropriation involving nearly 7 million CFA francs. The case pits the defendant against the girlfriend of… -
Ivory Coast: Alassane Ouattara pardons Malian MP Mamadou Hawa Gassama
The President of the Republic of Cรดte dโIvoire, Alassane Ouattara, has granted a presidential pardon to the Malian MP Mamadou Hawa Gassama. A member of Mali’s National Transitional Council (CNT), Mamadou Hawa Gassama had been sentenced at the end of… -
National Assembly of Benin: the two officially constituted parliamentary groups
The National Assembly of Benin is continuing to establish its internal organs. Meeting in plenary on Wednesday, February 11, 2026 at the Governor’s Palace in Porto-Novo, the deputies of the 10แต legislature proceeded with the official formation of the institution’s… -
Corruption Perceptions Index 2025: Benin Maintains Its Global Position
Benin retains its place in the global ranking of the Corruption Perceptions Index (CPI) for the year 2025 according to data from the report published by the international organization Transparency International. The CPI, which assesses the perceived level of corruption… -
U.S. visas: The United States explains its new immigration policy toward Benin
The issue of U.S. visas has now become one of the most sensitive issues in BeninโUnited States relations. During a press briefing held on Tuesday, February 10, 2026 at the U.S. Embassy in Cotonou, Ambassador Brian Shukan acknowledged the concerns… -
Digital: Benin outlines its strategic vision for 2031
Benin has taken an important step in its digital transformation policy by drafting a strategic vision for the digital sector with a horizon of 2031, developed following a seminar held in Cotonou on February 5-6, 2026. Organized by the Ministry… -
Ekpรจ: Thirteen individuals arrested during an operation against psychotropic drugs
The police station for the Ekpรฉ district conducted, on Monday, February 9, 2026, the arrest of thirteen individuals for possession, consumption and sale of psychotropic substances. This operation is part of the security actions for people and property undertaken by… -
Parakou: a zemidjan rider seriously injured after a tree branch fell in Alaga
A serious traffic accident occurred on Tuesday, February 10, in the Alaga neighborhood, the 1st arrondissement of Parakou. A taxi-moto driver, commonly called zemidjan, was seriously injured after a tree branch collapsed onto his motorcycle as he was traveling with… -
Benin: President Talon appoints the members of the Commission on Toponymy and National Memory
The President of the Republic of Benin, Patrice Talon, signed a decree appointing the members of the Commission on Toponymy and National Memory. This newly constituted commission aims to contribute to a better structuring of the national memory through the… -
Bohicon: a man electrocuted by SBEE’s high-voltage lines while cutting down a tree
A tragedy occurred on Monday, February 9, 2026 in the Zakpo Adamรจ Ahito neighborhood, in Bohicon, Zou Department. A man died after being electrocuted while he was cutting down a tree near power lines.According to information gathered, the victim, aged… -
Porto-Novo Court: a taxi driver gets two years in prison for selling his employer’s vehicle.
The Porto-Novo Court of First Instance sentenced a taxi driver to twenty-four months’ imprisonment, six months of which are to be served, for breach of trust. The man was found guilty of having sold, without authorization, the vehicle placed at… -
Benin – National Assembly: Joseph Djogbรฉnou convenes a plenary session on Wednesday
Hardly installed and with its Bureau in place, the National Assembly, the tenth legislature, is about to finalize its internal structure. In a statement dated Monday, February 9, 2026, the president of the parliamentary institution, Joseph Fifamรจ Djogbรฉnou, summons the… -
Japan and Benin strengthen their academic dialogue on peace.
During an academic visit to Benin, Professor Shinoda Hideaki of Tokyo University of Foreign Studies led a seminar at UAC this Saturday on peace issues. The Japanese researcher highlighted the central role of trust and universities in training a new… -
2026 presidential election: launch of “Bรฉnin Uni et Solidaire”, a platform to rally support around the Wadagni – Talata duo
The party hall ‘Le Majestic” in Cadjehoun in Cotonou was this Thursday the launch venue for the platform ‘Bรฉnin Uni et Solidaire (BUS)’. A platform that intends to structure and broaden mobilization around the WadagniโTalata duo ahead of the April… -
Lomรฉ, a no-go zone? Cancellation of a major ECOWAS summit that was to be held in Togo
The gap is widening more and more within ECOWAS among its member states. A summit of the subregional institution, intended to mark its fiftieth anniversary, and which was to be held in Togo, in Lomรฉ, the capital, has been canceled.… -
At the end of his mission in Benin, American Ambassador Brian Shukan takes stock of his tenure and bids farewell.
At the end of his term after nearly four years at the helm of the U.S. representation in Cotonou, the United States Ambassador to Benin, Brian Shukan, met with the press on February 10, 2026. The occasion for the diplomat… -
Benin: remarks by Joseph Djogbรฉnou, elected president of the 10th legislature
Elected to lead the National Assembly on Sunday, February 8, 2026, Joseph Fifamรจ Djogbรฉnou delivered an inaugural speech that was both sober, well-structured, and full of commitments. Before his peers, the new President of the National Assembly framed his mandate… -
Benin: Joseph Djogbรฉnou’s advice to parliamentary staff for fruitful collaboration
The President of the National Assembly of Benin, Joseph Fifamรจ Djogbรฉnou, presided, on Monday, February 9, 2026, over the first official ceremony of raising the colors of the tenth legislature, in the presence of the Parliament’s administrative staff, at the…