The Republic of Benin - former name till 1975: Dahomey - is located in West Africa and covers an area of 112,622 Sq. km.

It is a long stretch of land perpendicular to the Coast of the "Bight of Benin"; bordered on the Northwest (306 km) by Burkina ; on the North (266 km) by the Republic of Niger; on the East (773 km) by the Federal Republic of Nigeria and on the West (644 km) by the Republic of Togo.

It has 124 kilometers of coastline and stretches South to North over 672 kilometers. At 536 kilometers from the coastline, its width extends to 324 kilometers giving to the map the design of a clipped-cross.

CLICK for a full-blown-up AFRICA-MAP to see bordering countries.

Population : 6,590,782 (2000); 7,041,490 (July 2003 est.) - Population growth rate 3.03% (est. 2000); 2.95% (2003 est.)

Independence from France: August 1, 1960 - National holiday: August 1 - Constitution: December 1990. - Capital city: Porto-Novo.

Natural resources: small offshore oil deposits, limestone, marble, timber, iron-ore .

Agriculture production: corn, sorghum, cassava, yams, beans, rice, cotton, palm oil, peanuts; poultry, livestock.

Industrial production: textiles, cigarettes; beverages, food; construction materials, petroleum. Industrial production growth rate: 3%.

The Republic of Benin can be characterized in one sentence: The land where mental energy is wasted year upon year.

Yes, in the motherland home of Voodoo, incredible amount of psychic and mental energy is wrongly used and talented, skillful hard trained people are dramatically let to rot.

This is one amongst the few African countries, which at the independence day on August 1, 1960 was "gifted" with an elite of scholars in all kind of knowledge field; in addition to a well organized civil administration managed by high class civil servants.

To these initial assets - increased year upon year with a reservoir of highly educated people - one can add the extraordinary resilience and nonstop productivity of the farmers, which fed the country, year in year out, without benefiting from any sustained support from the government. Also to be mentioned is the extraordinary resourcefulness displayed by Benenese women - in adverse and difficult circumstances - who are incomparable merchants and traders well known and recognized throughout the continent.

All these master trumps constitute, doubtless, a formidable launching pad to building and organizing a modern nation. In the contrary, the collision of harsh political individual ambitions - lacking a clear economic vision and a well defined developing strategy - drove down the country into political instability (nine coups between 1963 and 1972.)

At last, in 1990, after 17 years (1972-1889) of a Marxist oriented regime, Benin opted for a multiparty system and became a barometer of democracy in Africa.

Nevertheless, the waste of energies and talent still persists. There is currently, for instance, a plethora of political parties (more than 100). None of them, even the four major ones standing out of the crowd, had devised and proposed a credible economic development strategy. Electoral argumentation used by these political parties are just appalling catalogue of day to day dubious proposals. No strategic vision and prospect are devised and proposed to the constituency.

Therefore, one cannot be surprised that the economy remains (45 years after the independence from the colonial power,) underdeveloped and actually dependent first, on subsistence agriculture and a single cash crop - cotton - and, secondly, on a booming underground economy.

Indeed, "gray economy" or underground economy accounts for almost for 75% of economic activities in Benin. Black-market (known as "Fayawo" in national language) is outrageously developed with Nigeria. For instance, there is, since three decades running, a fraudulent trading of Nigerian petroleum products that is a handicap to establishing a strong energy policy in the country. Consequently, Benenese economy is highly dependent on and therefore vulnerable to Nigeria's authorities economic and political decisions. Agriculture development is "archaic" and industrialization embryonic. Further to the excessive importance of the underground economy - that does not pay taxes and duties - the state of Benin is poor and has difficulty to garner revenues for the national budget.

After the negative growth of mid 1980 to 1989 (the agonizing period of the Marxist regime,) the economy "recovered" to an annual growth rate in the range of 4 - 5% in 1990-95 and 5 - 5.5% in 1996-2002. According to statistics released on January 2004 by the ministry of economy, the growth rate hit 6.5% in 2003. That seems a good performance. However, it is not enough to trigger off a sustained growth of the economy for a global take off and subsequent alleviation of rampant poverty. (70% of the skilled workforce: teachers, medical doctors, engineers etc.; is jobless or working / surviving in peculiar jobs such as car-taxi or motorcycle-taxi drivers.)

- 45 years after the independence from the colonial power, it is high time to move away from political intrigues, hollow and inconsistent discourses. It is now time for Benenese (citizens and political leaders alike) to devote more time and energy and skills to economic development matters.

Indeed, democracy is now deeply rooted in Benin. Political and institutional buffers against arbitrary political decisions and dictatorship well established. It is therefore high time to move away from black-market economy and have healthy economic exchanges with Nigeria. It is high time to devise a strategic plan that closely links agriculture, industry and services to boost the economy, create jobs to alleviate poverty and drive the nation into prosperity.

Otherwise time is ticking by and Benin is heading for trouble and civil unrest in the very near future-line of ten years.

A new era with the new elected President?

On April 06, 2006, a new President, Thomas Yayi Boni, was sworn in (click here for more on the legacy left by former President kerekou)

Benin enters a new era. For the first time someone new to politics comes to power. (President Yayi Boni was an unknown on the political stage two years ago.) He was the manager of the Bank for the Development of West Africa (Banque Ouest Africaine de Développement - BOAD), a structure set up by eight west african French speaking countries (Benin, Burkina-Faso, Côte d'Ivoire, Guinea-Bissau, Mali, Niger, Senegal, and Togo - Click here for countries' briefs.) He used the top banking position to grant micro-credits and loans to projects in the country. He managed to be perceived as the "money man" who has the capacity to help for a better developing.

Above briefly outlined strategy worked perfectly to put him at the helm of the country. Indeed, he had been elected on March 19, 2006 with 74% of cast ballots against 24% for his contender - Mr. Adrien Houngbedji - a lawyer, businessman a veteran of the political scene.

Now that he is in charge of a country and not of a bank, the simple strategy used to beat political opponents would not certainly be the adequate one to boosting Benin's economy, (which is in a deplorable state - see below for more) to creating jobs and building-up riches for all.

The economy is at standstill since 25 years

Figures listed in Table below show that Benin's (official) economy remained standstill for 25 five years running. The inflation and the population's growth rates (lines 10 and 11) eat the seeming growth rate of the economy (line 9.)

Nothing is left of the annual economic growth rate to trigger wealth's building - (line 13.) Besides, the per capita GNP (line 2) shows an increase of only fourteen percent in two decades - that is a yearly average increase of 0.7 percent. That is not enough to create rich for all and fight against poverty.

Essential Economic Ratio and Long Term Trends of Benin's Economy
Items / Period	1981	1991	2001	2005*
1. GNP (US$ billions)	1.3	1.9	2.4	2.3
2. Per Capita GNP	337	344	385	380
3. Gross Domestic Investment / GNP	15.7	14.5	19.2	18.9
4. Export of Goods & Services / GNP	23.2	24.5	15.2	14.8
5. Gross national Savings /GNP	0.0	0.0	12.5	10.8
6. Current Account Balance / GNP	-21.6	-4.8	-6.7	-8.1
7. Interest Payments / GNP	0.2	0.7	0.6	0.6
8. Total Debt / GNP	38.1	71.0	61.8	57.2
Average Percentage Increase
9. GNP	2.2	4.9	5.0	3.7
10. Inflation	6	8	3.8	4.2
11. Population	2.6	2.7	2.8	3.0
12. Labor force	2.5	2.6	2.7	2.9
13. Poverty	55	45	44	55
Source: World Bank Group

Reviewing figures listed in above table (Year 2005 figures are estimates,) one realizes that Benin's economy (as most African countries ones) is frozen in time.

The developing does not create jobs and wealth for all. As advocated in several Africabiz Online deliveries the only way to turn around the economy to create jobs to cope with demand and riches for all - to alleviate rampant poverty - is to stage a developing strategy that yields, year in year out, double digit growth rates. Otherwise, there is no hope for any improvement for decades to come.

Would the new regime do that? President Yayi Boni repeated the political slogan "Things Will Change. That Must Change" during the electoral campaign. The rallying slogan chimed perfectly with the population's desire. However, such a slogan does not stand for an elaborated economic program that could gear up the economy; and further micro-credits are not the solution to the developing gap!

Now, President Yayi should deliver. That is the only way he could politically survive in a country, which population is acute in politics and demanding. Expectation is immense. Beninese are tired of corruption and disillusioned by political leaders who for decades had not improved their living conditions. That is why there will be no grace period for the new regime. Beninese want results now and immediately. Otherwise, within 5 years time, the change of regime would be again on the tablets.



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GNP: US$ 2.8 billion (2000); 2.94 billion (2003.
GNP growth rate: 5% (2000); 5.4 (2001), 6.5% (2003)
GNP-per capita: US$ 380 (2000); 420 (2003)

Click here for the difference between GNP and Parity Purchasing Power

GNP-composition by sector

1. agriculture: 38% (2002)
   

2. industry: 15% (2002)
   
3. services: 47% (2002)

Exports: US$ 207 million (2002)
Commodities: cotton, cocoa, palm kernel.
Exports - partners: India 25%, Italy 11.1%, Indonesia 7.4%, China 7.2%, Thailand 6.7%, Brazil 6.1%, UK 4.4%, Niger 4% (2002)

Imports: US$ 479 million c.i.f. (2002)

Commodities: foodstuffs, beverages, tobacco, petroleum products, intermediate goods, capital goods, light consumer goods.
Imports - partners: China 30.7%, France 15.7%, UK 4.8%, Italy 4.2% (2002)

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A valid passport and a visa is required. Contact one of Benin's embassies below listed for visa deliverance procedure and delay.

The national international airport of Cotonou is serviced by many international airlines:

From Europe: Air-France, West African Airways.

From Africa: West African Airways, Air-France, Air-Senegal International, Ethiopian Airlines.

The Port Of Cotonou is a regional harbour servicing not only Benin, but also landlocked countries such as Burkina-Faso, Mali, Niger; but also Nigeria. Its has storage capacity of 300,000 square meter for a total handling of 2,000,000 metric tons. Contact: Click here.

Goods and commodities can be transshipped to the Ralways track BENIN-NIGER which links Cotonou to the Northern town of Parakou (400 km from Cotonou) where a secondd transhippment is implemented to lorries for Niger and other surrounding landlocked countries (Burkina, Mal) Click here for countries briefs.

Here are listed some hotels at Cotonou: the commercial capital of the country and unique harbor; and at Parakou the commercial center of the Northern region.