LOCAL GOVERNANCE IN BENIN: Luc Gnacadja Takes the Helm of the ANCB

A new dynamic is taking shape for the National Association of Municipalities of Benin (ANCB). Luc Gnacadja, the Mayor of Cotonou, has been elected president of this umbrella organization for local authorities following the renewal of its leadership bodies.

Widely supported by the mayors of the country’s 77 municipalities, Luc Gnacadja assumes leadership of the organization tasked with representing and defending the interests of Benin’s local governments. This election comes just months after he took office as Mayor of Cotonou in February 2026.

A former Minister of the Environment and former Executive Secretary of the United Nations Convention to Combat Desertification, Gnacadja—an architect by training—brings recognized expertise in spatial planning, sustainable development, and governance.

He assumes this role amidst a period of profound transformation for decentralization in Benin. The new leadership team will be responsible for supporting municipalities as they address key strategic challenges:

Mobilizing local resources and financing municipal development.

Continuously improving local public services.

Ecological transition and climate change resilience.

Digital transformation of local administrations.

Strengthening citizen participation in public management.

While retaining his mandate as Mayor of the economic capital, Luc Gnacadja now steers the course for Benin’s municipalities. This dual role creates a direct synergy between day-to-day local management and national-level advocacy.

As the primary liaison with the central government and technical and financial partners, the ANCB remains a pivotal instrument for:

Defending the interests of local authorities.

Strengthening the institutional and technical capacities of municipalities.

Placing sustainable urbanization and territorial development at the heart of public policy. With the installation of this new executive board, the ANCB is opening a key chapter aimed at accelerating the modernization of local authorities and better meeting the expectations of the population.

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