Benin plans to revise its migration policy. In early April 2025, the government announced its decision to table a bill before the National Assembly for review and possible adoption. The proposed legislation concerns the entry, stay, residence and exit of foreigners in the Republic of Benin. Additionally, the law granting nationality to Afro-descendants has been amended. These two legislative developments could have significant implications in today’s context.

According to the Beninese authorities, significant progress has been made in several areas of social, economic and political life since the law was adopted. For this reason, a complete overhaul of the current legislation on the entry, stay, residence and exit of foreigners was deemed necessary to establish modern, balanced and coherent legislation.

“Law No. 86-012 of 26 February 1986 on the legal status of foreigners in our country no longer fully meets current requirements in terms of mobility, territorial attractiveness, tourism promotion and regional and international cooperation,” stated government spokesman Wilfried Houngbédji, following Wednesday, 9 April 2025 cabinet meeting.

Regarding the bill amending Law No. 2024-31 of 2 September 2024 giving  nationality to  Afro-descendants in the Republic of Benin, the government spokesperson stated: “The main change concerns the title of the current provisional certificate, which will now become a Certificate of Eligibility for Beninese nationality. This adjustment is intended to clarify the status of applicants while their requests are being processed and to avoid any ambiguity as regards their nationality.”

While the procedures for granting Beninese nationality by recognition, as well as those for acquiring full nationality have been clarified, the proposed amendment “is part of an effort to harmonise legislation, simplify administration and uphold the principles of legal certainty, transparency and efficiency.” According to the Cabinet meeting’s Statement, which Dialogue Migration has reviewed, the amendment also has the advantage of providing a clearer and more protective legal framework. This aligns with Benin’s broader ambitions around a “return to origins” and the formal recognition of Afro-descendants as part of the national community.

Commitment to opening up to Africa and its diaspora

Benin’s passport is considered one of the most advantageous in Africa, offering visa-free access to 35 countries. In an interview, Beninese Minister of Foreign Affairs and Cooperation, Olushegun Adaji Bakari, subtly underscored the State’s broader ambitions; ambitions clearly reflected in the recent legislative reforms.

“The question of mobility on our continent is crucial, especially in the context of the African Continental Free Trade Area (AfCFTA). At a time when Africa’s youth are eager for opportunities and success, it is important that we provide our citizens with the freedom to travel across the continent. Today, an African typically needs around thirty (30) visas to move freely within Africa. This is not the case for Europeans or Americans,” he explained. In 2017, President Patrice Talon abolished visa requirements for all African nationals entering Benin, reinforcing the country’s strong commitment to regional integration and pan-African solidarity.

Any African citizen can now travel to Benin without a visa. The government has also adopted an active policy of dialogue and cooperation with other African countries. A dedicated unit within the Ministry of Foreign Affairs is tasked with this mission, aiming to remove mobility barriers and enable young Beninese citizens and entrepreneurs to take full advantage of the diverse opportunities offered across the continent.

Questioning immediate economic gains of visa policy 

While many countries view the introduction of entry visas as a means of generating revenue and see visa exemptions as a potential economic loss, Benin appears to take a different approach.

“There is the option of focusing on the short-term and saying, ‘we’re collecting small visa fees right now,’ and then there’s the long-term vision, which asks: do we want to build a dynamic, integrated Africa? There is a lot of ongoing discussion around Pan-Africanism, so why must any African living in Africa have to pay to visit another African country? Here in Benin, under the leadership of President Patrice Talon, we believe that should not be the case. We believe Africans should feel at home everywhere on the continent, most especially so, in Benin,” said Adjadi Bakari.

As for the initiative to grant Beninese nationality to Afro-descendants, the launch of a website to digitalise the application process has been announced. The agencies responsible for its implementation are already operational and teams are actively at work, according to the Beninese minister.

“Our brothers and sisters from the Afro-descendant diaspora who wish to pursue this path will be able to do so in an optimal digital and dematerialised manner. Naturally, there will still be the possibility, and the necessity at some given point, to liaise directly  with Beninese civil registry officers,” he explained.

The head of Benin’s diplomatic service describes this vision as a tangible expression of “pan-Africanism in action, not just rhetoric or political posturing.”

“Our dream is that, in the future, young Africans will no longer need to apply for visas because they will have the freedom to travel across the African continent. That is true pan-Africanism. Likewise, we view pan-Africanism as the opportunity for our brothers and sisters in the diaspora, who deeply identify as Africans, to return and become part of this community. That is what practical, realistic pan-Africanism means for us today,” said the Beninese minister.

The day after the minister’s interview was broadcast, on Wednesday, 21 May 2025, the Beninese government announced plans to build a Centre for Identification, Immigration, Migration and Elections (CIIEEL) in Cotonou. This major infrastructure project will house the headquarters of several key public institutions namely the National Autonomous Electoral Commission (CENA), the National Agency for the Identification of Persons (ANIP), the Department of Emigration and Immigration (DEI) and the Department of Consular Affairs and Beninese Abroad (DACBE).

Expectations in planned review

Non-governmental organisations are urging that the review of Benin’s national migration law include a comprehensive analysis of existing legislation, particularly the 1986 Alien Status Act and the 2022 Refugee and Stateless Persons Act. The review should assess the extent to which these laws align with Benin’s international obligations and the current dynamics of migration. The ultimate goal is to identify legal gaps and areas for improvement, ensuring a more coherent, humane and effective approach to migration management.

While legal frameworks exist, the International Organisation for Migration (IOM) and the Committee on the Rights of Migrant Workers have both highlighted the absence of a clear and comprehensive national migration policy in Benin. Consequently, the upcoming review should include recommendations for the development of a cohesive policy that integrates existing legislation and addresses the multifaceted nature of migration, including issues related to employment, family reunification and protection.

Key areas of focus in the review include:

• Protecting migrant workers, including those with irregular status, to ensure their access to minimum wage, social security, healthcare and emergency services;
• Registering children of migrants to ensure that all children of migrant workers born in Benin can acquire Beninese nationality; 

• Coordinating institutions through appropriate legal frameworks to improve governance and the implementation of migration policies; 
• Aligning national migration laws with international standards on human rights and migration management. 

The review also places strong emphasis on combating irregular migration, which is on the rise in Benin, while simultaneously addressing its root causes and socio-economic consequences.