Main points
- Bribery is widespread in Benin, particularly in the police, health sector and among government officials. However, this issue does not appear to be widespread across all sectors; some evidence suggests a significant decline in the number of private-sector firms operating in Benin reporting demands for bribes.
- Embezzlement, patronage and clientelism, sexual corruption and land corruption are issues noted in the literature and data on Benin.
- There is a large microfinance and informal financial sector in Benin which are exposed to corruption risks due to a lack of regulation and oversight, exposing users to fraud and increasing the risk of money laundering.
- There is a diverse civil society in Benin, and the government has actively involved them in the development of national anti-corruption frameworks and has committed to consulting with them on public budgets. Several CSOs have taken advantage of legal opportunities/legislation enabling them to file civil action complaints for corruption cases in Benin.
- A lack of enforcement and monitoring of the asset declaration legislation is noted by different organisations and experts. The legal framework exists in Benin in theory, however in practice, compliance is rarely enforced and non-compliance does not result in penalties or sanctions.
- Anti-corruption authorities responsible for the prevention and detection of corruption in the country are placed under the authority of the executive branch and lack human and financial resources to conduct their work effectively.
