Benin's press: Cotonou dailies and digital media

In Benin, people follow the news in the public daily La Nation, private titles such as Matin Libre and La Nouvelle Tribune, sites like Banouto, Benin Web TV and 24 Heures au Benin, and on ORTB, mostly in French and free online.

From Dahomey to the 1990 National Conference

Colonial Dahomey had an activist press as early as the interwar years. After the revolutionary period and the single daily Ehuzu, the National Conference of February 1990 opened the way to pluralism, and dozens of private papers were launched in Cotonou and Porto-Novo.

La Nation and the private dailies

La Nation, heir to Ehuzu, is the public daily that relays government action. Matin Libre and La Nouvelle Tribune represent the private press, with a more varied line. Many titles are close to political or business figures, which readers should keep in mind.

French in print, Fon and Yoruba on the airwaves

French is the language of the print press and websites. Fon, Yoruba, Bariba, Goun and Dendi are widely heard on public and community radio, especially in spoken news bulletins and interactive phone-in programmes across the country.

Parakou, Abomey and local news

Outside Cotonou, news travels mainly through rural and community radio and through regional ORTB stations such as the one in Parakou. National sites also follow the northern municipalities, the port of Cotonou and trade with neighbouring Nigeria.

Banouto, Benin Web TV and digital outlets

Banouto has made its name with investigations and video, Benin Web TV with a feed that is widely followed on social media, and 24 Heures au Benin with rolling news. Facebook and WhatsApp remain the main distribution channels for these outlets.

Agence Benin Presse, the official source

Agence Benin Presse (ABP) distributes institutional wires, cabinet meeting reports and news from the departments. Its regional correspondents cover localities that rarely appear in the private newspapers based in the economic capital.

ORTB: public radio and television

The Office de Radiodiffusion et Television du Benin (ORTB) runs national television and Radio Benin. Private channels and many FM stations complete the offer, under the oversight of the High Authority for Audiovisual Media and Communication (HAAC).

How does the diaspora follow the country?

Beninese people in France, Gabon or Nigeria mostly read news sites and the Facebook pages of newsrooms. For a regional view, compare with the Togolese press and the Ivorian press, which often cover the same West African issues.

Cotton, the port and football in the headlines

The economy revolves around cotton, the autonomous port of Cotonou and trade with Nigeria, all topics followed by La Nation and private sites. In sport, the Cheetahs, the national football team, dominate coverage ahead of handball and athletics.

The Digital Code and the legal framework

The HAAC grants licences and can suspend an outlet. The 2015 Information Code governs the press, while the 2018 Digital Code has been used to prosecute journalists and internet users over material they published online.

Reading for free in French

Beninese sites are free to access and live on advertising, sponsored reports and notices. Print editions sell mainly in Cotonou. Readers can go further with the French-speaking African press to follow ECOWAS news across the wider region.

Checking an article before sharing it

A statement often appears on Facebook first, then on several sites that repost it without checks. Trace it back to the official source, ABP or a ministry, and compare with La Nation and a private title before passing on an appointment or a death.

Following Benin when you live abroad

1. Read La Nation for the official version and a private daily such as Matin Libre or La Nouvelle Tribune for another view.
2. Add Agence Benin Presse for cabinet meeting reports, usually published on Wednesdays.
3. Follow the pages of Banouto and Benin Web TV to get videos and alerts on your phone.
4. Listen to Radio Benin live for news bulletins in national languages such as Fon and Yoruba.
5. Cross-check any viral story with two different sites and the relevant official body before sharing it.
6. Check the date of articles, as old pieces about elections or competitive exams regularly recirculate.

Access and subscriptions for Benin's media

What to know about Beninese media

• Print language: French; on radio: Fon, Yoruba, Bariba, Goun, Dendi
• News agency: Agence Benin Presse (ABP)
• Public broadcaster: ORTB (national television and Radio Benin)
• Regulator: High Authority for Audiovisual Media and Communication (HAAC)
• Reference public daily: La Nation
• Time zone: UTC+1 (West Africa Time)
• Currency: CFA franc (XOF)

Common traps with the Benin press

• Assuming an article is independent when it is a paid sponsored report, a widespread practice in several Beninese newspapers.
• Trusting a fake Facebook page that copies the logo of a well-known Cotonou outlet to spread rumours.
• Sharing an old recruitment or exam notice without checking its date and official publication.
• Confusing the line of La Nation and ORTB, both public outlets, with private titles that sometimes show partisan leanings.
• Forgetting that national-language programmes on local radio carry information missing from French-language sites.

Your questions about Beninese newspapers