No fewer than two million citizens of Benin Republic residing in Nigeria are expected to participate in their country’s presidential election scheduled for April 12, 2026.
Nigeria is listed among 10 countries where Beninois in the Diaspora will cast their votes, with polling set to take place in Lagos, Abuja and Ibadan.
The Chargé d’Affaires of Benin Republic in Nigeria, Mrs Bernice Gnansounou Bankole, disclosed this during a sensitisation programme held in Abuja, urging eligible voters to turn out in large numbers.
“We have lots of our compatriots in Nigeria and so election will take place in three cities. Everything is going fine and we are ready,” she said, noting that voting would be conducted at the Benin Embassy in Abuja, the Consulate in Lagos and the honorary consulate in Ibadan.
The ruling coalition’s candidate, Romuald Wadagni, is contesting alongside Vice President Mariam Chabi Talata.
Also speaking, a former President of Beninois residents in Nigeria, Mr Hormone Younkpati, called on voters to support the Wadagni-Talata ticket, citing continuity and sustained development.
According to him, the administration of President Patrice Talon has delivered significant progress over the past decade, particularly in easing access to administrative services for citizens in the Diaspora.
He said many services are now accessible online, eliminating the need for frequent travel back home, a development he described as a major relief for Beninois living abroad.
Younkpati further described Benin Republic as a growing model of democracy in West Africa, urging voters in Nigeria to participate actively in the electoral process and support candidates who would sustain the country’s development trajectory.
The April 12 election is expected to draw significant turnout from the Diaspora community across the designated voting centres.
