{"name":"Applied AI in Benin — the record","description":"Every announced initiative, deployment, published result and regulation of applied AI on the record for Benin, tagged by kind, industry, region and role, sourced and dated. A slice of the State of Applied AI record, maintained continuously by the Industrial Research Unit of the Straits Institute for Applied AI.","source":"https://www.straitsai.institute/state-of-applied-ai/benin","partOf":"https://www.straitsai.institute/state-of-applied-ai/evidence.json","attribution":"Industrial Research Unit, Straits Institute for Applied AI","updated":"2026-10-29","facet":{"kind":"country","name":"Benin","slug":"benin","iso2":"BJ","region":"Sub-Saharan Africa"},"counts":{"entries":12,"deployments":3,"evidenceImpact":1,"evidenceAdoption":0,"regulation":8,"industries":5,"countries":1,"linked":12},"entries":[{"kind":"deployment","industry":"Healthcare & Life Sciences","region":"Benin","role":"Medical laboratory technician","org":"Benin National Malaria Control Programme","text":"Benin gave South Korean diagnostics supplier Noul a public tender for 20 AI malaria diagnosis analysers for severe-malaria hospitals, and the National Malaria Control Programme has endorsed the miLab MAL platform as a point-of-care device. The system handles each step from blood-smear preparation to digital imaging and AI analysis, making AI-assisted testing quicker and more consistent, Noul says. The purchase followed a 2025 clinical evaluation of 211 children with suspected severe malaria at northern and southern university hospitals.","date":"2026-09-07","source":"https://www.koreatimes.co.kr/business/companies/20260907/benin-enlists-korean-developed-ai-in-nationwide-battle-against-malaria"},{"kind":"regulation","industry":"Education & Training","region":"Benin","org":"Université d'Abomey-Calavi","text":"Benin's Université d'Abomey-Calavi has adopted SIAUAC, a university AI policy pairing strategy, usage charter and ethics framework. The AI usage charter fixes principles, rules and duties for students, lecturers and administrators. The ethics framework adds obligations, technical requirements and governance wherever AI touches teaching, research, innovation or administration. By 2030 it wants standing as an African benchmark for artificial intelligence that is responsible, inclusive and sovereign.","date":"2026-07-16","source":"https://siauac.sigan-uac.bj/"},{"kind":"deployment","industry":"Healthcare & Life Sciences","region":"Benin","role":"Vector control officer","org":"Benin Ministry of Health","text":"Benin's Ministry of Health has switched on AI malaria vector control in six communes: Copargo, Djougou, Tchaourou, Ouidah, Abomey-Calavi and Cotonou, about 336,000 residents. Geospatial mapping plus artificial intelligence flag probable mosquito breeding pools; drone crews douse the water with larvicide. Health Minister Benjamin Hounkpatin ties drone larviciding to tighter aim and quicker turnaround. Japan bankrolls the 2.3 million dollar pilot with UNICEF and the World Health Organization.","date":"2026-06-30","source":"https://www.gouv.bj/article/3570/lutte-contre-paludisme-demarrage-pulverisation-drone-dans-communes-benin/"},{"kind":"regulation","industry":"Government & Public Sector","region":"Benin","org":"Agence des Systèmes d'Information et du Numérique (ASIN)","text":"Benin's Agence des Systèmes d'Information et du Numérique (ASIN) has set generative AI public agents rules for civil servants in a June 2026 bulletin, 'Billet juridique sur l usage des outils d intelligence artificielle générative par les agents publics au sein de l administration', covering data protection, digital sovereignty, cybersecurity and vendor contract safeguards. Standards include sovereign data hosting, full encryption and ISO/IEC 27001, 27701 and 42001 compliance. ASIN also recommends mapping AI tools in government administration, moving staff off personal accounts onto secured professional subscriptions, and adopting one binding charter.","date":"2026-06","source":"https://lanation.bj/index.php/actualites/usages-de-lia-dans-ladministration-publique-un-cadre-de-gouvernance-envisage"},{"kind":"regulation","industry":"Government & Public Sector","region":"Benin","org":"Centre national d'investigations numériques","text":"A Beninese TikToker posting as Fresnel was detained on 11 June 2026 over an AI-generated image pairing him with former head of state Patrice Talon. Article 576 of the Code du numérique criminalises malicious doctoring of photographs, audio or video, drawing five years' jail and a 25 million CFA franc fine. The Centre national d'investigations numériques had warned days before against exactly this synthetic likeness.","date":"2026-06-11","source":"https://www.les4verites.bj/un-createur-de-contenus-arrete-apres-une-publication-sur-patrice-talon/"},{"kind":"regulation","industry":"Government & Public Sector","region":"Benin","org":"Centre national d'investigations numériques","text":"Benin's Centre national d'investigations numériques has spelled out penalties for AI image manipulation: reshaping, inventing or circulating another's likeness without consent. Such AI-altered likenesses breach image rights and draw prosecution under article 576 of the Code du numérique, which permits five years' jail and a 25 million FCFA fine, about 44,400 dollars.","date":"2026-05-29","source":"https://www.wearetech.africa/fr/fils/actualites/tech/benin-l-usage-non-autorise-de-l-ia-sur-l-image-d-autrui-peut-couter-44-400-d-amende"},{"kind":"evidence-impact","industry":"Agriculture & Food","region":"Benin","org":"Frontiers in Artificial Intelligence","text":"Generative AI for agricultural extension went with measurably stronger advisory work among 240 extension agents sampled across six districts of northern Benin (β = 0.411, t = 8.229, p < 0.001). Agents carrying heavier caseloads and tighter deadlines picked up AI advisory tools more readily. Enthusiasm came hedged: respondents balked at leaning wholly on the technology, naming professional judgment, accountability and trust in AI outputs; the questionnaire was fielded March to May 2024.","date":"2026-05-26","source":"https://pmc.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/articles/PMC13246710/"},{"kind":"regulation","industry":"Government & Public Sector","region":"Benin","org":"Government of Benin / Presidency of the Republic","text":"President Romuald Wadagni has given Benin a dedicated AI ministry, the Ministry of Digital Transformation and Innovation (MTDI), tasked with the national AI strategy. Mahuna Akplogan, a technologist with a PhD in AI, becomes Benin's first minister holding formal AI policy mandate responsibility. The move underlines Benin's bid to lead AI governance across the region.","date":"2026-05-24","source":"https://beninwebtv.bj/1er-gouvernement-wadagni-garde-les-piliers-de-talon-et-ajoute-une-ambition-numerique/"},{"kind":"regulation","industry":"Media, Telecom & Entertainment","region":"Benin","org":"Haute autorité de l'audiovisuel et de la communication","text":"The Haute Autorité de l'Audiovisuel et de la Communication forbade newsrooms to doctor what goes to air, or what candidates say, using “uncontrolled and irresponsible” artificial intelligence. That Benin AI regulation shaped the presidential ballot of 12 April 2026, the opening round's canvassing window running 27 March to 10 April. Outlets straying from the AI campaign rules risk penalties reaching instant removal from official election coverage.","date":"2026-03","source":"https://lanouvelletribune.info/2026/03/presidentielle-au-benin-ce-quil-faut-savoir-des-regles-fixees-pour-la-campagne-mediatique/"},{"kind":"deployment","industry":"Government & Public Sector","region":"Benin","role":"Customs officer","org":"Government of Benin","text":"Benin has flipped the switch on Customs Webb for AI in customs processing nationwide, ousting ASYCUDA from every port, airport and land crossing. Webb Fontaine supplied the platform, already tallying over 100,000 declarations, 200,000-plus payments and 800 users online. Fraud drops, clearance speeds up — part of a broader customs automation push.","date":"2025-05-21","source":"https://www.wearetech.africa/en/fils-uk/news/tech/benin-rolls-out-ai-customs-platform-for-faster-safer-trade"},{"kind":"regulation","industry":"Media, Telecom & Entertainment","region":"Benin","org":"Conseil National du Patronat de la Presse et de l'Audiovisuel (CNPA)","text":"Benin's media sector now follows a 33-article Code of Ethics covering AI in journalism, swapping out rules that had stood for 25 years. Reporters must check facts before publishing and resist disinformation, while new guidance points artificial intelligence in newsrooms toward safeguarding integrity and ethical conduct. A countrywide drafting effort, spanning the diaspora, shaped the update.","date":"2025-02-28","source":"https://mfwa.org/country-highlights/benin-updates-media-ethics-code-to-address-digital-and-ai-challenges/"},{"kind":"regulation","industry":"Government & Public Sector","region":"Benin","org":"Council of Ministers, Republic of Benin","text":"Benin's Council of Ministers approved SNIAM, its national AI and big data strategy for 2023-2027, on Wednesday 18 January. Backed by 4.68 billion CFA francs, it bundles 123 actions across agriculture, education, health and public administration, forming the country's core AI policy framework.","date":"2023-01-18","source":"https://innovation.gouv.bj/publications/actualites/le-benin-se-dote-d-une-strategie-nationale-d-intelligence-artificielle-et-des-megadonnees"}]}