2026 budget of the Ministry of Digital Affairs and Digitalisation: before MPs, Aurelie ADAM SOULE ZOUMAROU reaffirms the strategic priorities

On Tuesday 25 November 2025, the Minister Aurelie ADAM SOULE ZOUMAROU appeared before the national representation to present the draft budget of the Ministry of Digital Affairs and Digitalisation for the 2026 financial year.

The 2026 draft budget of the Ministry of Digital Affairs and Digitalisation (MND) was prepared in accordance with the directives contained in the budget framework letter issued by the Ministry of Economy and Finance (MEF), as well as with the challenges and priorities of the sector, in line with sectoral policies and strategies.

The appropriations allocated to the MND for the 2026 financial year amount to twenty-seven billion, two hundred and thirty-eight million, thirty-five thousand, five hundred and fifty-three (27,238,035,553) CFA francs, compared with twenty-nine billion, thirty-three million, nine hundred and sixty-six thousand, one hundred and ninety-two (29,033,966,192) CFA francs in 2025, a decrease of 6.18%. The decrease in the budget is explained by the reduction in external financing in 2026 (12.22%).

The 2026 budget breaks down as follows:

• operating expenditure: 9,774,411,267 CFA francs (36%);

• capital expenditure: 17,463,624,286 CFA francs (64%).

This draft budget will enable the Ministry of Digital Affairs and Digitalisation to pursue ambitious objectives that are essential for Benin's development. It will support the implementation of structural reforms in the digital sector, while accelerating the digitalisation of key sectors of the national economy and the digital transformation of local authorities. This budget will also foster the widespread adoption of digital technology, thereby strengthening citizens' confidence in these tools, and will guarantee broader access to modern, responsible media that deliver quality information.

It is distributed across the Ministry's three (03) programmes, namely:

- STEERING AND SUPPORT PROGRAMME FOR MND SERVICES, for an amount of 2,184,235,167 CFA francs (i.e. 8.02%);

- DIGITAL PROGRAMME, for an amount of 12,372,151,413 CFA francs (i.e. 45.42%);

- MEDIA PROGRAMME, for an amount of 12,681,648,973 CFA francs (i.e. 46.56%);

Aware of the issues at stake in the development of digital technology and the media, the MND is committed to ensuring the efficient use of this budget. The objective is to deliver tangible and relevant results, thereby fostering the digital, economic and social transformation of our country.