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A “methodical calm” has been observed at Benin’s electoral commission headquarters during the vote tallying process following Sunday’s presidential election, with sealed ballot boxes arriving from all 12 departments and from diaspora polling stations abroad, according to a News Central correspondent reporting from the scene.
Beninese voters went to the polls on Sunday, April 12, to elect the country’s next president. The vote counting began Sunday night and has continued into Monday at the Commission Electorale Nationale Autonome (CENA) in Cotonou.
News Central correspondent, Kathleen Ndongmo, reporting from outside the CENA headquarters in Cotonou, said the atmosphere at the tallying centre was notably orderly and deliberate.
“The vote counting began last night and the collation is currently underway,” Ndongmo said.
She described the operation as “a steady and deliberate operation since last night.”
The coalition process for the Republic of Benin’s elections is ongoing at the Commission Électorale Nationale Autonome. Votes are being carefully verified, with sealed ballot boxes arriving from across the country and abroad. @KathleenNdongmo reports. pic.twitter.com/P4UBHc25HF
— News Central TV (@NewsCentralTV) April 13, 2026
Ndongmo said she spoke with the lead collation officer at the commission, who told her that each delivery is logged, each box is received by officials and moved inside the premises under close supervision.
“What is striking is the methodical calm of the process here,” Ndongmo said. “There is no chaos. There is a sense of urgency, but it is not overriding the procedure itself.”
Ndongmo reported that the collation extends beyond Benin’s borders to include votes cast by Beninese nationals living abroad.
“This collation goes beyond Benin’s borders,” she said.
“The Republic of Benin has a diaspora voting mechanism so Beninese nationals registered abroad were also able to cast their ballots at designated embassies and missions in several countries.”
She said those results were also being transported to the Cotonou collation centre.
“And those results are also making their way into this collation centre,” Ndongmo said.
“Every vote, whether it was cast in Cotonou or in Alibori or by a Beninese citizen living abroad, must be accounted for and verified before CENA moves towards any announcement.”
Officials state they will not be rushed
According to Ndongmo, officials at CENA have stated their position on the tallying process.
“Officials here have been clear,” she said.
“They say this is a sensitive process that demands meticulous compliance at every step and they will not be rushed to give any unofficial figures.”
Ndongmo also reported that the commission has stated the integrity of the final figure depends entirely on the disciplined collation of the votes.
“They also say the integrity of the final figure depends entirely on the disciplined collation of the votes, which is what we are currently observing that’s happening here,” she said.
Information circulation identified as only challenge
Ndongmo reported that the process had moved smoothly with one identified challenge.
“Based on what we are observing here, the process is moving on smoothly so far,” she said.
“The only challenge we faced is the circulation of information to stakeholders as to where what is happening and at what time.”
She said CENA had not committed to a specific hour for an announcement.
“And CENA has been careful not to commit to a specific hour for tomorrow’s announcement,” Ndongmo said.
“That caution is very much understandable. What needs to happen before any declaration is made is quite important. Result sheets from all polling units must be received, and they are being received, being verified and consolidated at departmental level before being transmitted here to the national collation centre.”
