Polling stations closed across Benin on Sunday after citizens voted to choose a new president, with Finance Minister Romuald Wadagni widely seen as the frontrunner. Nearly eight million people were eligible to take part in the ballot to replace Patrice Talon, the outgoing president who is stepping down after two five-year terms and who survived a coup attempt in December.
Talon has backed his 49-year-old finance minister. Wadagni has campaigned on continuing the economic course of the past decade, pointing to roughly a decade of annual growth above 6% under his stewardship of the economy.
Speaking to supporters in Cotonou, he pledged to build on recent progress and pursue further development if elected.
The main opposition formation, the Democrats, did not take part after its leader, Renaud Agbodjo, failed to secure the parliamentary endorsements required to appear on the ballot. The only other candidate in the race is Paul Hounkpe of the Cowry Forces for an Emerging Benin.
Hounkpe, a lower-profile contender, has argued that macroeconomic gains under Talon and Wadagni have not translated into better living conditions for ordinary Beninese, saying growth matters little if people still cannot afford basic meals.
Observers and critics say that recent electoral qualification rules and legal proceedings have effectively sidelined some rivals of Talon and his chosen successor. Several opposition figures have faced legal action in recent years.
Large monitoring missions from ECOWAS, the African Union and the European Union were deployed to observe the vote. The ECOWAS delegation was led by former Ghanaian President Nana Akufo-Addo, who called for a broad turnout.
Polling was scheduled to close at 16:00 local time, and officials said provisional results could be expected within 48 hours.