Benin Communications - 2021

GEOGRAPHICAL NAMES 

Telephones - fixed lines

total subscriptions: 35,917

subscriptions per 100 inhabitants: less than 1 (2019 est.)

Telephones - mobile cellular

total subscriptions: 10,349,847

subscriptions per 100 inhabitants: 83.25 (2019 est.)

Telecommunication systems

general assessment:

Benin’s telecom market is restricted by poor fixed-line infrastructure; low use of fixed-line voice and Internet; mobile networks account for almost all Internet and voice traffic; progress on fiber infrastructure through World Bank and the government investment to extend broadband and develop Smart Government program; monopolized fixed-line Internet services access is limited; ICT development will provide telecom services to 80% of the country, mostly via mobile and DSL infrastructure; Benin Smart City construction has begun; improved international Internet connectivity supports growth of m-commerce and m-banking; submarine cable connectivity from African coast to Europe (2021)

(2019)

domestic: fixed-line teledensity only about 1 per 100 persons; spurred by the presence of multiple mobile-cellular providers, cellular telephone subscribership has increased rapidly, exceeding 88 per 100 persons (2019)

international: country code - 229; landing points for the SAT-3/WASC and ACE fiber-optic submarine cable that provides connectivity to Europe, and most West African countries; satellite earth stations - 7 (Intelsat-Atlantic Ocean) (2019)

note: the COVID-19 pandemic continues to have a significant impact on production and supply chains globally; since 2020, some aspects of the telecom sector have experienced downturn, particularly in mobile device production; many network operators delayed upgrades to infrastructure; progress towards 5G implementation was postponed or slowed in some countries; consumer spending on telecom services and devices was affected by large-scale job losses and the consequent restriction on disposable incomes; the crucial nature of telecom services as a tool for work and school from home became evident, and received some support from governments

Broadcast media

state-run Office de Radiodiffusion et de Television du Benin (ORTB) operates a TV station providing a wide broadcast reach; several privately owned TV stations broadcast from Cotonou; satellite TV subscription service is available; state-owned radio, under ORTB control, includes a national station supplemented by a number of regional stations; substantial number of privately owned radio broadcast stations; transmissions of a few international broadcasters are available on FM in Cotonou (2019)

Internet country code

.bj

Internet users

total: 2,403,596

percent of population: 20% (July 2018 est.)

Broadband - fixed subscriptions

total: 25,032

subscriptions per 100 inhabitants: less than 1 (2018 est.)

NOTE: The information regarding Benin on this page is re-published from the 2021 World Fact Book of the United States Central Intelligence Agency and other sources. No claims are made regarding the accuracy of Benin 2021 information contained here. All suggestions for corrections of any errors about Benin 2021 should be addressed to the CIA or the source cited on each page.