Benin grants nationality to 53 Afro-descendants
By the AFREEQUE newsroom, based on Matin Libre
Benin’s Ministry of Justice presented certificates of nationality to 53 Afro-descendants from Haiti, France and Martinique at a ceremony held on 24 October 2026 in Cotonou. The initiative is part of the 2024 law recognising Beninese nationality for descendants of people deported during the transatlantic slave trade, Matin Libre reports.
Fifty-three Afro-descendants from Haiti, France and Martinique received certificates of Beninese nationality on 24 October 2026 at a ceremony organised by the Ministry of Justice at the Judicial Complex. Among the recipients, Judith Anglade, from Haiti, said she saw the recognition as “an immense honour”.
The procedure stems from Benin’s law of 2 September 2024 on granting nationality to Afro-descendants whose ancestors were deported during the transatlantic slave trade. On 30 July 2026, 28 people had already received their official documents, followed by 10 more on 29 August, at a ceremony chaired by the Keeper of the Seals, Yvon Détchénou.
