| Country: | Benin |
| Type: | presidential |
| Election Date: | 4 March 2001 (first round) 18 March 2001 (second round) |
| Previous Election: | 1996 Beninese presidential election |
| Previous Year: | 1996 |
| Next Election: | 2006 Beninese presidential election |
| Next Year: | 2006 |
| Image1: | Mathieu Kérékou 2006Feb10.JPG |
| Candidate1: | Mathieu Kérékou |
| Party1: | FARD-Alafia |
| Popular Vote1: | 1,282,855 |
| Percentage1: | 83.64% |
| Candidate2: | Bruno Amoussou |
| Party2: | Social Democratic |
| Popular Vote2: | 250,940 |
| Percentage2: | 16.36% |
| President | |
| Before Election: | Mathieu Kérékou |
| Before Party: | Independent politician |
| After Election: | Mathieu Kérékou |
| After Party: | FARD-Alafia |
Presidential elections were held in Benin on 4 March 2001, with a second round run-off on 18 March. They controversially resulted in the re-election of Mathieu Kérékou for a second term. Kérékou's rival Nicéphore Soglo, who had been president from 1991 to 1996, failed in his bid to reclaim the presidency; although he qualified to participate in the second round of the election against Kérékou, he refused to do so, alleging electoral fraud. Adrien Houngbédji, the parliament speaker and third-placed candidate, also refused to participate in a second round. As a result, Kérékou faced fourth-place candidate Bruno Amoussou, who was planning minister and had already given his support to Kérékou, in the second round; Kérékou won an easy victory with 84% of the vote.[1] [2]
After the election, it was revealed that the Titan Corporation, a defense contractor based in the United States, had illegally provided $2 million to Kérékou's re-election campaign. The company pleaded guilty and agreed to pay $28.5 million in fines and civil penalties, the largest penalty under the Foreign Corrupt Practices Act up to that point, for bribery and filing false tax returns.[3] [4]