This research paper sets out to explore the use of authentic materials to promote EFL communicative competence in secondary schools in Benin. Various textbooks have the potential to provide the necessary language input if they include genuine examples of language use as opposed to specifically written language for teaching purposes. To reach its goal the present study has first introduced the concept of what is defined as authentic materials and presents various perceptions of researchers and their usefulness in EFL classes. Data were collected through questionnaire and language test from two categories of teachers and students; one using a series of textbooks containing many authentic materials and the other group, exposed to the conventional pedagogic materials. The data analysis through the SPSS (Statistical Package for Social science) tools revealed that the experimental group presents more ability for communicative competence than the control group. In other words, teaching EFL in Benin using authentic materials (AM) proved to havesignificant effect on improving Beninese learners' communicative competence.