Skip to content
World Watch

Data protection & privacy law in Benin (2026)

Data protection in Benin: comprehensive law.

Benin has a comprehensive personal-data protection regime anchored in its Digital Code (Law No. 2017-20, 2018), which consolidated and superseded the earlier Law No. 2009-09 of 2009. The framework covers the collection, processing, transmission, storage, and use of personal data by both public and private entities and is enforced by the independent APDP (formerly CNIL-Bénin). The regime implements the ECOWAS regional Additional Act A/SA.1/01/10 on personal data protection, aligning Benin with the wider West African standard.

Last verified Official sources first · MethodologyCompare Benin with other countries

Legal framework

Law No. 2017-20 of 20 April 2018 (Digital Code of Benin, Book 5), as amended by Law No. 2020-35 of 6 January 2021; supervised by the Autorité de Protection des Données Personnelles (APDP)

Key points: data & privacy in Benin

  1. Primary Legislation

    Law No. 2017-20 of 20 April 2018 (the Digital Code, Book 5) is the principal statute, consolidating the original Law No. 2009-09 of 27 April 2009. It was further amended by Law No. 2020-35 of 6 January 2021, which adjusted the APDP's composition and updated references to the responsible ministry.

    sgg.gouv.bj afapdp.org legis.cdij.bj

  2. Supervisory Authority (APDP)

    The Autorité de Protection des Données Personnelles (APDP) is an independent administrative body with legal personality, responsible for enforcing data-protection rules, issuing authorisations, and receiving complaints from individuals and legal entities. Law No. 2020-35 reduced its membership from 11 to 8 members drawn from the National Assembly, the judiciary, computer-science professionals, and the legal profession.

    rapdp.org apdp.bj arcep.bj

  3. Controller Obligations

    Data controllers must register or declare processing activities with the APDP before implementation, maintain an internal register of processing operations, apply purpose limitation and data-minimisation principles, implement appropriate security safeguards, and notify the APDP of personal-data breaches without undue delay.

    dlapiperdataprotection.com dataprotection.africa archive.apdp.bj

  4. Data Subject Rights

    Individuals hold rights of access, rectification, erasure (right to be forgotten), objection, and consent withdrawal against both public authorities and private entities processing their personal data.

    dlapiperdataprotection.com archive.apdp.bj

  5. Cross-Border Data Transfers

    Transfers of personal data outside Benin are restricted; recipient countries or organisations must ensure a level of protection equivalent to that required under Beninese law before a transfer may be authorised.

    dlapiperdataprotection.com dataprotection.africa

  6. ECOWAS Regional Alignment

    The Digital Code explicitly implements ECOWAS Additional Act A/SA.1/01/10 on the protection of personal data within the ECOWAS space, situating Benin's rules within the broader West African regional framework shared by member states.

    arcep.bj rapdp.org

Sources

  1. sgg.gouv.bj/doc/loi-2020-35/
  2. legis.cdij.bj/index.php/loi-n-2020-35-du-06-janvier-2021-modifiant-la-loi-n-2017-20
  3. afapdp.org/wp-content/uploads/2018/06/Benin-Loi-2017-20-Portant-code-du-numeriqu
  4. rapdp.org/en/node/38
  5. apdp.bj/lois/
  6. archive.apdp.bj/wp-content/uploads/2022/10/1PROTECTION-DES-DONNEES-PERSONNELLES-AU-BE
  7. dlapiperdataprotection.com/index.html?t=law&c=BJ
  8. dataprotection.africa/benin/
  9. arcep.bj/wp-content/uploads/2022/11/LOI-N2020-35.pdf

Next for Benin: Digital Payments & FintechLicensing regime

Next topic

Orientation, not legal advice: verify against the primary sources linked above. Last verified 24 May 2026. Methodology & how to cite · State of Technology Regulation 2026