It’s not 229 utilities like the number, but like the country code for my birth-country “Benin”.

It’s a tiny country in West Africa and If like me you were unlucky enough to be born in this third world unknown corruption-infested and ultra poor country, you might find this post useful. This might sound a bit like I hate my country but don’t get me wrong, I love it. I just wish some things were different, like we all do. But damn does it suck to live here sometimes…There are a lot of things that are not available here and especially the average internet user here is not aware of the existence of many useful tools and resources that could make their life easier and more productive. I will try to list some of them here. I will also try to keep this post updated as I find more useful things.

1. Administration and government

Since about 2020, thanks to our new president (Sir. P. TALON) with his great vision, the Benin government has been working on a digital transformation program to improve the efficiency and transparency of public services. Here are some useful websites related to the government and administration

• Benin government - The official website of the Benin government. You can find information about the government, news, and services. It’s updated often especially with the latest news and announcements from the government.
• Benin e-services - The official website of the Benin e-services. You can find information about the various e-services offered by the government, including online payment of taxes, registration of businesses, and more.
• Benin national identification - The official website of the Benin national identification system. You can find information about the national identification card, how to apply for it, and more. This is the place to go if you want to get your national ID card or a passport and such. You can also check the status of your application online.
• Benin tax - The official website of the Benin tax administration. You can find information about taxes, tax rates, and tax forms. they have an online invoice generator that is very useful for all kind of workers
• Benin social security - The official website of the Benin social security system. You can find information about social security, health insurance, and retirement benefits
• Business registration - The official website of the Benin business registration system. You can find information about how to register a business, the required documents, and more. This is the place to go if you want to register your business or get a certificate of incorporation.

2. Education and Journalism

I knew about my university’s website UAC but they recently made it actually useful with students login and dashboard…pretty cool that now you can check your grades and even pay tuition online. I was very surprised to find out my Medical faculty has a website too FSS. They used to be a subdoamin of UAC but now they have their own website. You can find information about the faculty, the courses offered, and more.

There is also educmaster which is a website that allows parents to track their children’s academic progress. You can find information about the child’s grades, attendance, and more. This is a very useful. Exams results are usually published on e-resultats and people that got their baccalaureate can get oriented to universities and schools on apresmonbac. This is a very useful website that allows you to find information about the various universities and schools in Benin, including their admission requirements, courses offered, and more. You can also find information about scholarships and financial aid.

There are many journalism websites in Benin that went online in the last few years. Some of them are very good and have a good coverage of local news and events. Here are some of the most popular ones

• SRTB - The official website of the Benin national television and radio. You can find information about the news, programs, and more. They have a good coverage of local news and events.
• Banouto - A news website that covers national and international news. They have a good coverage of local news and events.
• Le Matinal - Another news website that is still thriving
• Benin web tv - And more news on this one too.

There are many more but those are the ones I know of

3. Healthcare

The healthcare system in Benin is not very good. There are many hospitals and clinics but they are often overcrowded and understaffed. The quality of care is often poor and the waiting times are long. However, there are some private clinics and hospitals that offer better care. Here are some useful websites related to healthcare in Benin

• Mon med en ligne - A website that allows you to book medical appointments online. You can find a wide range of doctors and specialists, including general practitioners, dentists, and more. They have a good selection of doctors and a good booking system.
• PharMap - A website that allows you to find pharmacies and health services near you. You can find a wide range of pharmacies, including those that offer home delivery and online ordering. They have a good selection of pharmacies and a good search system.

The healthcare sector lacks of dynamism and innovation in Benin so those are the most prominent efforts I could witness in using technology to improve this sector. Most of the time, you have to go to the hospital and wait. The more solutions I find the more I will add to this list.

4. Shopping, e-commerce, transportation and delivery

Some years ago online shopping was a myth in Benin. There were no e-commerce websites and people were not familiar with the concept of online shopping. Most were also afraid of scams and stuff. However, in recent years, there has been a surge in e-commerce websites and online shopping has become more popular. Here are some of the most popular e-commerce websites in Benin

• CoinAfrique - A website that allows you to buy and sell products and services online. You can find a wide range of products, including electronics, clothing, and more. They have a good selection of products and a good search system. probably the most popular one
• Benin Boutique - Theyre a bit like Amazon but not as good. You can find a wide range of products, including electronics, clothing, and more. They have a good selection of products and a good search system. They website lacks a bit of polish if you ask me.
• Tout vendu - Another Beninese e-commerce website that allows you to buy and sell products and services online. Another website that is a bit “ugly”…but hey, as long as it works, right?
• Gozem - Our glorious homemade Uber. A ride-hailing service that allows you to order a taxi. You can pay online or cash on delivery. They have a good selection of taxis and a good delivery service. they also deliver food and groceries. They have a good selection of restaurants and a good delivery service. They are the most popular ride-hailing service in Benin.

5. Money and finance

The banking system in Benin is not very good. There are many banks but they lack of Online services like…A LOT. I understand banking is a lot about security and knowing the online environment in Benin the attitude is quite fair But this make the average client’s life a nightmare. We don’t even have international access to PayPal and Google Pay FFS…

Here are some useful websites related to banking and finance in Benin

• KKia - A website that allows you to send and receive money online. You can find a wide range of services, including mobile payments, money transfers, and more. They have a good selection of services and a good search system.
• Feda - Another payment handling service that allows you to send and receive money online. Just like Kkia pay but cheaper. Not purely beninese but hey…it works in the region
• izichange - A website that allows you to exchange money online. You can find a wide range of services, including mobile payments, money transfers, and more. This one is not Beninese but it is so great that I had to add it here.

The biggest struggle in Benin online financial system is that you can’t easily receive or send money from abroad. This is a huge problem for freelancers and remote workers. The usual way to receive money from abroad is to use a money transfer service like Western Union or MoneyGram. This is not very convenient and it is also very expensive. We don’t have PayPal or Google Pay Goddammit!!

6. Extra

The websites listed here are random ones I found That did not really fit in the main categories, but are local and can be quite helpful if you find yourself in Benin

• archidiocèse de cotonou: If you are in Cotonou, the economic capital city, you might be looking information about local catholic churches and their activities…Well there you go

That is so far some utilities that might make your life easier if you live in or are visiting Benin. This article will be updated later to bring you cooler stuff as I find them.