Benin: crime and justice

Does Benin publish crime statistics?

No current official crime figures for Benin were found on the sites of the Ministry of Justice and Legislation (justice.gouv.bj, under maintenance) or the Government of Benin (gouv.bj), checked on 15 October 2026. The national police site could not be reached.

The most recent internationally published figure is from the UN Office on Drugs and Crime: 1.1 intentional homicides per 100,000 people in 2017, published by the World Bank. That figure comes from police records sent to UNODC and is not updated each year. Court decisions from the Supreme Court are published on its website.

Official sources: World Bank: Intentional homicides (UNODC), Benin · Supreme Court of Benin

What is the homicide rate in Benin?

1.1 per 100,000: that is the intentional homicide rate in Benin for 2017, according to the UN Office on Drugs and Crime. Sub-Saharan Africa median: 4.6 per 100,000; Benin is 13th highest of 14. Worldwide: 94th of 123.

How many battle deaths has Benin had?

The latest figure from the Uppsala Conflict Data Program, for 2024, is 77. It is 12th highest of 20 in Sub-Saharan Africa, where the median is 164. Of 41 countries with 2024 data, 27th highest.