Payment of Bills in Benin: From Paperwork to Digital Simplicity

Julien Agbézounhlon, a resident of Cotonou, no longer remembers the last time he had to wait in line to pay his bills at the National Water Company of Benin (Soneb) or the Beninese Electricity Company (Sbee). With just a few clicks, he pays his water and electricity bills from home, his workplace, or anywhere, using his mobile phone and an internet connection. "Before, it would take me hours to wait in line to pay my water and electricity bills. Sometimes, I would have to come back the next day for one reason or another. But today, from my bed, I can settle my outstanding bills or recharge my account since I also have a prepaid meter," he explained. He added that this saves him time and spares him the stress. Sylvestre Tchomakou, a journalist at a private daily newspaper, shares the same view. "Wherever I am now, I pay my bills as soon as Sbee or Soneb delivers them to my home," he said, noting that these advantages make life easier for individuals and businesses.

Whereas before, people were forced to queue at agencies or counters to pay their bills, this e-service reform has truly alleviated the burden on the population of Benin. Since its launch on January 26, 2022, Sbee customers have been able to pay their electricity bills (postpaid) via https://sbee.service-public.bj. This ongoing digitization process was preceded by the October 2019 reform, which introduced prepaid electricity credit recharges. This new e-payment service has allowed thousands of customers to settle their electricity bills easily and peacefully, without having to go anywhere. On March 14, 2022, Soneb also joined this initiative. To enable subscribers to pay their water bills effortlessly, the company introduced a digital payment platform. Soneb's Director-General, Richard Dansou, stated that the launch of online water bill payments is crucial for the company he leads. "This is a service that will make life easier for our subscribers. It’s a great advantage for all of us," he said. According to Aurélie Adam Soulé Zoumarou, Minister of Digital Affairs and Digitalization, this online payment service "is proof of the realization of the ideal that aligns with the President's vision of making Benin the digital service hub of West Africa and the continent."

Government Initiative

When asked about the performance of these digital platforms to date, Francisca Dossou Adikpéto, Head of the Communication and Marketing Unit at the Ministry of Digital Affairs and Digitalization, emphasized that the results have been positive, as the majority of clients quickly embraced this digital service. "Just in 2024, for example, over one million bills were paid online by the end of September," she revealed, adding that this government initiative is part of the national strategy to digitize public services, aiming to simplify administrative procedures and improve the effectiveness of services offered to citizens.

Francisca Dossou Adikpéto noted that the digitization of services in Benin has had a positive impact not only on the administration but also on users. Regarding the administration, she stated that digitization has led to significant improvements in operational efficiency, reduced waiting times at agencies, faster debt recovery, and better transparency in financial transactions. For users, she pointed out, they now enjoy greater convenience, with the ability to pay their bills anytime and anywhere, thus reducing the time and costs associated with traveling to physical payment points.

However, the digitization of electricity and water bill payments is not without its challenges. Many users have voiced recurring complaints. "Often, I pay online, but the payment isn’t immediately reflected. It’s noticed that the amounts paid still appear on the next bills. I’ve even been a victim of this, where they came to remove my meter, claiming I had two months of arrears, even though I had already paid," said Arnaud Tossou, an auto mechanic. Julien Agbézounhlon, on the other hand, faces issues with connection instability that often disrupts his transactions. "Sometimes, I visit the platform and it shows 'unavailable,'" he explained, also highlighting the high cost of the connection.

Aware of these complaints, the Communication and Marketing Head at the Ministry of Digital Affairs and Digitalization pointed out that actions are being taken to ensure reliable and affordable internet coverage for all, especially in rural and remote areas. "The concerned services are continuously working on optimizing and maintaining the online payment platforms to ensure good accessibility for users. Support teams (Asin and Sbee/Soneb) are available to address users’ concerns," she assured.

This article was written as part of the Journalism Scholarship on IPNs organized by the West Africa Media Foundation and Co-Develop.