SECTOR 2 Scores: Individual scores: 1 Country does not meet indicator 2 Country meets only a few aspects of indicator 3 Country meets some aspects of indicator 4 Country meets most aspects of indicator 5 Country meets all aspects of the indicator Average score: ✓ ✓✓✓✓✓ ✓ ✓✓✓ ✓ ✓ 3.4 (2007 = n/a; 2009 = n/a; 2011 = n/a; 2014 = 3.6) 2.11 The country has a coherent ICT policy and/or the government implements promotional measures, which aim to meet the information needs of all citizens; including marginalised communities The Digital Code is the main law on ICT in Benin. This law seeks to govern: • activities related to electronic communication networks and services; • electronic tools; • trusted services in the digital economy; • e-commerce; • the protection of personal data; and • cybercrime and cyber security. Efforts are being made to promote the use of ICTs. The authorities have thus created community multimedia centres offering citizens training on and access to ICTs. In addition, computers and computing hardware in general, are imported into the country tax-free in order to keep prices low. Despite these positive developments, citizens complain that actions in the ICT sector are fragmented. The country has already spent billions of CFA francs installing a fibre optic network, but national coverage remains below 10%. Work is underway to connect the entire country with fibre optics. A plan to increase the access cost to the internet was dropped following massive opposition. The government had issued an order in July 2018 that increased the cost of electronic communication through the introduction of a tax in the form of a contribution, for the usage of electronic communication services provided by open access networks in the Republic of Benin. In September 2018, following strong popular protest, the government suspended the decree. However, the cost of electronic communication has still increased through a decision to review the tariff, which was taken at the end of November 2018 by the authority in 27 AFRICAN MEDIA BAROMETER BENIN 2018