Communes serve as Benin's second and final tier of local administration, with 77 communes operating across the country's 12 departments. These administrative divisions function as the primary level of local government responsible for delivering essential public services to citizens, including municipal infrastructure, waste management, local markets, and community facilities. Each commune is governed by an elected municipal council and mayor who manage local budgets, implement development projects, and address immediate community needs. The commune system was established through decentralization reforms in the 1990s to bring governance closer to citizens and improve service delivery at the grassroots level. Communes vary considerably in population and geographic size, ranging from densely populated urban centers like Cotonou to smaller rural administrative units.