Transforming lives in Benin: a unique identification system

Kouatena, North West Benin. Simplice, 11, proudly holds his "C'est Moi" card. For this student, this document is much more than an ID: it is the key to passing his primary school certificate. Not long ago, in the absence of a birth certificate, his educational future was in danger of coming to an abrupt end. His mother, Gnondo Bio Kpera, remembers the anguish of these impossible steps: "Before, we had to bother ourselves and spend money. Now, our children get them without difficulty and without paying anything."

One card, lives transformed

Pélagie Sagbo, a palm oil trader in Adjarra, in the southeast of the country, dreamed of expanding her business. Without an identity card, nothing was possible: no credit or bank account. The day she received the "C'est Moi" card, everything changed: "As soon as I got one, my life changed. I was able to take out a loan, open my own shop, and now I take care of my children."

Augustine Assogba, a haberdashery seller, tells a similar story. Without an ID, her children were regularly expelled from school. "Thanks to the "C'est Moi" card, I received training, opened a Mobile Money account, and received a loan. Now I have my own business and pay for my children's schooling. I never thought this possible."

These stories illustrate the vision of the Regional Unique Identification Project (WURI): to make identity a right for all. By facilitating access to jobs, credit, and entrepreneurship, the project directly links to the World Bank Group's agenda for job creation and economic inclusion-equipping everyone to participate fully in the formal economy and build sustainable livelihoods.

Results at the national level

In just a few years, Benin has gone from being a country where a quarter of the population had no birth certificate to a nation where identity is a shared right. Nearly 99% of the population is now biometrically enrolled, and more than 7.7 million people have their Personal Identification Number (NPI) as of the end of May 2025. More than 6.1 million certificates were issued free of charge.

Aristide Adjinacou, Director General of the Agency for the Identification of Persons (ANIP), a partner in the project, explains: "We allow everyone to access socioeconomic services, open an account, and own a mobile phone. We achieve this thanks to our talents, the national ecosystem, and our partners such as the WURI project."

The project also supports the government's safety net programs and the operationalization of the Single Social Registry, thereby strengthening governance and policy planning.

Financed by the World Bank to the tune of $273 million-including $45 million for Benin-the WURI project is benefiting five other West African countries: Burkina Faso, Côte d'Ivoire, Guinea, Niger, and Togo.

In Benin, the "C'est Moi" card is opening a door by providing access to education, entrepreneurship, employment, and citizenship. With official identification, people can open bank accounts to fund their projects, sign formal employment contracts, or legally register their businesses to reach broader markets and create job opportunities for others. Each card represents a person with dreams and ambitions, and it embodies the hope for a future where having an identity is the first step toward building a livelihood.