The diocese of Abomey, in southern Benin, is the only one to appoint women as extraordinary ministers of Holy Communion, seeking to break away from traditional gender exclusions

The High Authority for Audiovisual and Communication, Benin's media regulatory authority, suspended two newspapers and four websites at the end of January, for alleged unauthorised publication and non-compliance

In the southern village of Gogotinkpon, which makes its living from fishing in Lake Aheme, voodoo is used to ask deities to help demarcate tracts of mangroves as sacred areas; the tradition highlights the importance of mangrove forests in the region

A new attack attributed to jihadist groups in the north, near the border with Niger and Burkina Faso, resulted in the death of 28 soldiers; attacks have increased in the area in recent years, with 121 soldiers killed from 2021 to the end of 2024

Pan-African activist and leader Kémi Séba has announced his candidature for presidential elections scheduled for April 2026; electoral code requires candidates to be sponsored by at least 28 elected officials, such as mayors or members of parliament