Nicéphore Soglo

Nicéphore Dieudonné Soglo (born 29 November 1934) is a politician, former Prime Minister, and President of Benin.

After receiving degrees in law and economics from the University of Paris, Soglo returned to Benin (then called Dahomey) and held government posts in the areas of finance and economics. Following the 1972 coup that brought Mathieu Kérékou to power, he left the country and held positions at international organizations such as the International Monetary Fund (IMF) and the World Bank.

In the late 1980's, faced with growing dissatisfaction over a stagnant economy, the Kérékou government agreed to convene a national conference that would lead the country towards multiparty democracy. The conference designated Nicéphore Soglo interim Prime Minister, and he took office on 12 March 1990. The conference produced a constitution that was overwhelmingly approved in a referendum held on 2 December 1990.

In the country’s first multiparty presidential election, Soglo defeated Kérékou, receiving 67.73% of the vote. He took office on 4 April 1991.

In 1992, his wife Rosine founded the Renaissance Party of Benin (known by the acronym PRB or RB). He was appointed leader of the party in 1994

During his presidency, Soglo took efforts to refurbish Benin’s devastated economy. These economic measures caused civil unrest and undermined his popularity. Despite these problems, his government was praised for its adherence to democratic principles and respect for human rights. In the March 1996 presidential election, he was defeated by Mathieu Kérékou.

In a bid to regain the presidency in 2001, he placed second behind Mathieu Kérékou, winning 27.12% of the vote. Although Soglo qualified to participate in a run-off against Kérékou, he withdrew alleging irregularities, which resulted in a Kérékou victory.