Romuald Wadagni Declared Winner of Presidential Election with 94% of Vote

Benin April 14, 2026 - Benin’s National Electoral Commission has announced that Romuald Wadagni, the candidate of the ruling party, has won the presidential election with 94% of the vote, according to provisional results released on April 14, 2026. The vote was held on April 12, 2026. According to the Electoral Commission, Wadagni secured a decisive victory over his main challenger, Paul Hounkpè, who obtained 6% of the vote. Paul Hounkpè reportedly conceded defeat even before the official provisional results were made public. Romuald Wadagni, an economist and senior political figure, has served in Benin’s Ministry of Finance since 2016, where he has been closely associated with key economic reforms. He is credited with contributing to improvements in tax revenue collection and public financial management, and has built a profile as one of the country’s leading technocrats in economic policy. Before entering government, Wadagni worked in the private financial sector, including at Deloitte, where he gained experience in auditing and financial advisory services. Widely regarded as a close ally of the current administration and a potential successor to President Patrice Talon, Wadagni is expected to serve a seven-year presidential mandate. The Constitutional Court is expected to deliver the final validation of the results in the coming days.