Digital development (BeDigital)

Context

The BeDigital programme is part of the government’s digital strategy, which positions digitisation as an important lever for accelerating economic growth, notably with the adoption of the national digital security strategy in 2020.

Objectives

The overall objective of the digital development programme (BeDigital) aims to increase access to information and communication technologies to help reduce poverty among the people of Benin.

The specific objective of the funding is to strengthen Benin's sustainable and inclusive digital transformation, within a secure cyberspace, by ensuring that services are accessible and adapted to as many people as possible, with a particular increase in digital uses in the inclusive and innovative finance and vocational training sectors – sectors in which Luxembourg Cooperation is also involved.

This programme is committed to addressing numerous challenges by prioritising digital trust, cybersecurity, digital financial services, vocational training and digital skills development. On this last point in particular, BeDigital focuses on female entrepreneurship, fostering women's economic empowerment and promoting greater diversity among digital stakeholders.

Beneficiaries

The BeDigital programme is aimed at the entire population of Benin, with a particular attention given to women. Its beneficiaries include:

• the government of Benin, which benefits from the development of a sustainable and secure digital economy through its various ministries and institutions;
• female entrepreneurship networks;
• technology start-ups;
• digital developers, entrepreneurs and experts;
• young girls and women involved in the digital sector;
• students and vocational training teachers;
• digital users.

Target geographical area

The BeDigital programme is a nationwide initiative covering all 12 departments of Benin. However, some pilot activities are concentrated in certain parts of the country. For example, with regard to the accreditation of digital service providers, a pilot project is implemented in Cotonou and in agricultural development pole no. 4 (ADP 4) in order to strengthen synergies with the Agricultural training and professional integration project.

Stakeholders

• among Beninese state institutions: the General Directorate for Development Financing, the Agence des systèmes d’information et du numérique, the Ministry for Digital and Development, the Agence de développement des petites et moyennes entreprises, the Agence de développement de l’enseignement technique, the Ministry for Secondary and Technical Education and Vocational Training, the Fonds national de la microfinance, the Fonds national du développement agricole, and the Agence nationale de surveillance des systèmes financiers décentralisés;
• in digital training: EPITECH, a digital skills school, Africa Design School, Simplon;
• within civil society: Women In Tech;
• other technical and financial partners: the World Bank, the Agence française de développement (AFD), the Gesellschaft für internationale Zusammenarbeit (GIZ), Enabel, UNICEF, and the Kreditanstalt für Wiederaufbau (KfW).