The Director-General of Benin's National Identification Agency (ANIP), Aristide Guy Adjinacou Gnahoui, has outlined plans to enhance the agency's presence across the country, making identification services more accessible to citizens. At a meeting with prefects in Pobè on October 30, 2026, Gnahoui presented reforms aimed at improving access to identification services nationwide. The ANIP's strategy focuses on proximity, inclusion, and consolidating user trust.
The ANIP has made significant progress, with 98% of Benin's population already enrolled. In 2025, the agency served four million citizens and issued 10.5 million services, 75% of which were provided online or remotely. Additionally, 50,109 people obtained their first birth certificate in September 2026. These achievements have earned Benin recognition as a leader in identification services in Africa, attracting interest from other countries.
To increase accessibility, the ANIP is deploying 165 new tablets to districts, enabling citizens to update personal data, recover their Personal Identification Number (NPI), and obtain documents with the assistance of agents. The agency is also promoting digitalization to simplify administrative procedures. Citizens can now verify the authenticity of documents in under a minute through the eservices.anip.bj platform or the ANIP BJ application.
The ANIP has announced several upcoming reforms. A pilot phase for derogatory birth registration, launched on November 2, 2026, allows for the registration of children up to 13 years old based on testimony. The agency plans to generalize this operation nationwide by the end of November. Additionally, the ANIP aims to enroll around 30,000 refugees in November.
The ANIP's ambitious goals for the end of 2026 include making the NPI available within a maximum of four hours and enabling online issuance of death and marriage certificates. The agency also plans to update fingerprints in January 2027. These efforts aim to further improve the efficiency and accessibility of identification services in Benin.
Benin's experience in identification services has attracted international attention, with delegations from Gabon and the Central African Republic visiting to learn from the country's approach. The ANIP's progress and plans demonstrate its commitment to providing efficient and accessible identification services to all citizens.
The ANIP's strategy of strengthening proximity, inclusion, and user trust has contributed to its success. By deploying new technologies and simplifying administrative procedures, the agency aims to continue improving identification services and meeting its ambitious goals.
Key points
- The ANIP aims to enroll around 30,000 refugees in November 2026.
- Benin has been recognized as a leader in identification services in Africa, attracting interest from other countries.
- The ANIP plans to make the NPI available within a maximum of four hours by the end of 2026.
