This paper is part of INCLUDE’s latest research programme, “Digital divides or dividends: including basic services in Africa’s digital transformation agenda”. The programme has been designed to gather important information on effective digitalisation of basic services in Africa. The programme looks at which e-service interventions exist, which of these are inclusive of poor and vulnerable groups, and to what extent governments are facilitating the enabling conditions for digital transformation. To this end, INCLUDE aims to highlight good examples and extract valuable lessons from five country case studies: Benin, Ghana, Mauritius, Uganda and Rwanda.

This paper presents the case of Benin, where huge investments have been made in national ICT infrastructure and electricity extension, and a national portal for the provision of public services makes it possible for citizens to access more than 560 public services online. However, investments have concentrated more in cities, while more than 50% of Benin’s population still lives in rural areas with limited access to internet and electricity.

You can download the full research paper from the link on the right in both English and French.