Benin’s new president vows to turn economic growth into better living standards

Wadagni was inaugurated on Sunday in Cotonou after winning the April 12 presidential election with more than 94% of the vote, according to results confirmed by Benin’s Constitutional Court.

He succeeds Patrice Talon, who governed the West African country from 2016 and stepped down after completing two terms, in line with constitutional limits.

Continuity with Talon’s reform agenda

The 49-year-old former finance minister is widely expected to continue Talon’s reform programme, which helped Benin record steady economic growth and improve its business environment.

But in his inaugural address, Wadagni said growth must now be felt more directly by ordinary citizens.

“Our economy has progressed. That’s a fact. But we all know that national growth only makes sense when it becomes visible in people’s everyday lives,” he said.

He promised to prioritise job creation, access to basic services and social protection, saying development must reach every part of society and every region of the country.

“The development of Benin must be experienced in every component of society and in every territory of the Republic,” he added.

Security threat from the Sahel

Wadagni also used his speech to address Benin’s worsening security situation.

In recent years, jihadist groups operating across the Sahel have increasingly spilled over into northern Benin, raising concerns that instability in neighbouring countries could spread further south.

“Benin will not yield to fear or complacency,” Wadagni said, pledging closer cooperation with countries facing similar threats.

Representatives from Niger, Burkina Faso and Mali — three Sahel states at the centre of the regional security crisis — were among those attending the ceremony.

Commitment to democratic norms

At a time when several leaders in West and Central Africa have sought to extend their time in power, Wadagni also emphasised respect for democratic institutions.

“I will serve with the constant awareness that power is never a personal privilege,” he said.

His inauguration comes months after the outgoing government narrowly survived a coup attempt in December, underlining the fragile political and security environment facing Benin’s new administration.