Overview

• The law enacted in September 2023 grants citizenship to adults who prove ancestry to the transatlantic slave trade using DNA tests, authenticated testimonies or family records
• Benin launched the My Afro Origins digital platform in mid-July to streamline applications under the new citizenship law
• Ciara received her Beninese passport on July 26 in Cotonou, joining a small group of high-profile early recipients
• Justice Minister Yvon Détchénou said the policy heals historical wounds and offers descendants a sense of belonging and hope
• Heritage tourism at Ouidah’s Slave Route and the Door of No Return is being promoted alongside naturalizations to strengthen diaspora engagement