Despite a massive surge in internet usage and social media over the last decade, radio remains the absolute king of news and information in Benin.

According to a fresh Afrobarometer survey released this Monday, nearly three-quarters (72%) of Benin’s citizens still tune in to the radio every day or a few times a week. While regular social media use skyrocketed eight-fold between 2014 and 2024, it still trails far behind as a regular news source at 46%, followed by television at 36% and web browsing at 29%.

The data also reveals a stark gap between what people expect from their media and what they actually see. While an overwhelming 69% of Beninese believe the press should be entirely free to publish without government control, only 45% feel that journalists are actually free to report the news without censorship or state interference in practice.

–ChannelAfrica/Afrobarometer–