ECOWAS delegation praises transparency in Benin poll

Observers from the Economic Community of West African States have praised the orderly and peaceful conduct of Benin’s presidential election held on April 12, 2026.

This followed on-the-ground monitoring of voting and vote counting processes in the country’s commercial capital, Cotonou.

The ECOWAS Election Observation Mission, led by Nana Akufo-Addo, former Ghanaian President, assessed the electoral process across key locations, including polling units and collation centres.

As part of its activities, the mission also visited the situation room of the West Africa Network for Peacebuilding, a civil society group supporting election monitoring and conflict prevention efforts.

After approximately nine hours of voting, ECOWAS officials observed the counting of ballots at a polling station located at the Cadjèhoun Public Primary School in Cotonou.

The delegation was led on-site by Abdel-Fatau Musah, who represented the head of mission during the exercise.

Speaking after the observation, Musah commended the organisation of the election, noting that voting and counting were conducted in a calm and transparent manner.

He highlighted the peaceful atmosphere that prevailed throughout the day, describing it as a positive indicator of democratic stability in the country.

The ECOWAS mission’s visit to the WANEP situation room formed part of the efforts to triangulate information from independent observers and enhance early warning mechanisms against potential electoral tensions.