Benin has launched a comprehensive briefing for political parties and civil society organizations on the reliability of the Computerized Electoral List (LEI) and the digital platforms available to citizens ahead of the 2026 presidential election.
The National Agency for the Identification of Persons (ANIP) organized the session on Saturday, 16 August 2025, at the Administrative Towers in Cotonou. The meeting provided an opportunity to explain the preparation of the LEI, which will underpin the upcoming general elections.
Herbert Assogba, Head of Policies, Partnerships and Multichannel Communication at ANIP, outlined that all Beninese citizens who are 18 years or older by 11 January 2026 and enjoy full civil and political rights will appear on the LEI.
He explained that the list will be posted provisionally in polling centers from 13 to 28 September 2025 and will be finalized from 28 October to 11 November 2025, ahead of its official transmission to the Independent National Electoral Commission (CENA) on 12 November 2025.
Voting identification documents can be obtained from ANIP counters in town halls and special-status districts, or via digital platforms and the ANIP.BJ mobile application. The secure national identity card, known as “La carte c’est moi,” is also available.
Any citizen completing their RAVIP after 28 September 2025 will no longer be eligible for registration on the LEI for the 2026 elections.
Transferring a polling center requires a declaration of residence from the neighborhood or village chief, unless the original and destination centers are in the same locality.
Elvys Daa-Kpode, an IT developer at ANIP, showcased the features of the institution’s digital platforms, emphasizing transparency and user accessibility. In his closing remarks, ANIP Director General Aristide Adjinacou thanked participants and reaffirmed the agency’s commitment to improving its tools to support election integrity.
The electoral preparations come as President Patrice Talon has confirmed he will not seek a new term at the end of his second five-year mandate, a decision publicly reiterated by his spokesperson, Wilfried Léandre Houngbédji, on 20 July.
Despite appeals from some allies and segments of public opinion, Talon has stated he will respect the law and hand over power to the next generation of leaders.
The Beninese presidential election is scheduled for April 2026. No official candidate has yet been nominated by the ruling party or the opposition. The Democrats party, led by former President Boni Yayi, is reportedly organizing to present a single candidate to maximize its electoral chances.
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