By:
Robert Kwaku Annor
Eight members of Benin’s
Personal Data Protection Authority (Autorité de Protection des Données
Personnelles – APDP) have been sworn into office before the Supreme Court,
formally beginning their mandate to oversee personal data protection and
respect for privacy in the country.
The solemn swearing-in
ceremony took place on Friday, November 6, 2026, at the Supreme Court in
Porto-Novo, in accordance with the provisions of Benin’s Digital Code.
The eight members were
appointed by Decree No. 2026-422 of July 1, 2026. They are Dr. Luciano
Hounkponou, Denise Degbedji, Didier Maixent Djeigo, Mama Salifou, Crépin Dodo,
Axel Mathieu Foadey, Friggens Ajavon and Blaise Gilbert Isaac Kissezounon.
They took the oath before
the President of the Supreme Court, Victor Dassi Adossou, and other members of
the High Court, pledging to carry out their duties independently and
impartially, with dignity and loyalty, while observing the secrecy of
deliberations.
In his address, Chief
Justice Victor Dassi Adossou emphasised the significance of the commitment and
the responsibilities attached to their positions. He urged the new members to
fully appreciate the human, legal and institutional implications of their mission
amid accelerating digital transformation and the growing processing of personal
data.
He stressed that the oath
was not merely an administrative formality but a legal, moral and republican
commitment to the law, institutions and citizens.
Recalling the human
dimension of data protection, Adossou stated that “behind every personal data
is a human being, holder of rights and freedoms whose protection must remain a
permanent requirement.”
At the end of the formal
hearing, the Supreme Court took note of the swearing-in and released the eight
members to assume their duties.
Their induction marks the
official beginning of their mandate at the APDP, the institution responsible
for ensuring the protection of personal data and respect for privacy in Benin.
