By: Doreen Boamah-Darko
Finance Minister Romuald Wadagni has been elected President of Benin after securing 94% of votes in Sunday’s presidential election, the electoral commission CENA announced Monday.
The preliminary results, based on more than 90% of ballots counted, confirm a decisive victory for the 49-year-old candidate of the ruling alliance between the Progressive Union Renewal (UPR) and the Republican Bloc (BR). Wadagni was the hand-picked successor of outgoing President Patrice Talon, who could not seek re-election after completing two five-year terms.
Wadagni’s sole challenger, FCBE leader Paul Hounkpe, conceded defeat before counting ended. “To Romuald Wadagni, I offer my republican congratulations. Democracy requires mutual respect and the ability to rise above partisan divides,” Hounkpe said in a statement.
A Mandate for Continuity
As finance minister, Wadagni oversaw a decade of annual growth above 6%. He campaigned on extending that record in Benin, widely regarded as one of West Africa’s most stable democracies despite a foiled coup in December 2025.
CENA chair Sacca Lafia described the vote as “peaceful.” Civil society monitors logged around 100 incident alerts, including polling stations that opened early or ballot boxes that appeared full before voting began, AFP reported. The ECOWAS observer mission, however, commended a “peaceful atmosphere” and “smooth running of the election.”
Of 7.9 million eligible voters, turnout stood at 58.75% nationwide, though it was lower in the capital Porto-Novo, where some stations recorded 20% to 40%.
Critics Cite Uneven Playing Field
Wadagni’s path was eased by constitutional changes enacted last year that tightened ballot access. The largest opposition party, Les Democrats, failed to field a candidate after winning no seats in January’s legislative election. Presidential hopefuls now require endorsements from National Assembly members, which Democrats leader Renaud Agbodjo could not secure without parliamentary representation.
“Given the barriers to opposition party participation, the 2026 contest begins with a tilted playing field,” the Africa Center for Strategic Studies noted before the poll.
Economic Gains, Persistent Gaps
Benin has posted rapid growth on the back of infrastructure projects and rising tourism along its coastline. Yet major challenges remain. The poverty rate — people living on $3 a day — is still just under 30%, and many citizens say they have not felt the benefits of expansion.
Security is another concern, with jihadist violence from the Sahel spilling into Benin’s north.
President-elect Wadagni, who inherits Talon’s pro-business legacy, now faces the task of broadening growth and tackling insecurity as he prepares to take office.
Benin’s wealthiest man, Talon steps down after 10 years, barred by term limits from running again.
