Benin: 2,125 billion FCFA committed, budget execution reaches 51.2%

As of June 30, 2026, Benin had committed 2,125.4 billion FCFA in budget expenditures and cash outlays, representing 51.2% of the revised annual forecasts. This figure is included in the mid-year execution report published on September 16 by the Directorate General of the Budget.

During the same period, budget revenues and financing resources totaled 2,329.6 billion FCFA against a revised annual forecast of 4,148.4 billion, corresponding to an achievement rate of 56.2%. In terms of disbursements, expenditures and cash outlays amounted to 2,081.1 billion FCFA, or 50.2% of the forecasts.

The amounts mobilized have increased compared to the end of June 2025. At the same date last year, revenues and financing resources stood at 2,006.4 billion FCFA, while commitments were at 1,954.3 billion. This represents an increase of approximately 16.1% for mobilized resources and 8.8% for commitments, even though the execution rate of commitments declined from 55% to 51.2% due to a higher revised budget in 2026.

The execution of budget programs reached 1,031 billion FCFA, which is 45.7% of the annual forecast. Allocations covering credits for state institutions, financial charges of the debt, and unforeseen or incidental expenditures were executed at 535.4 billion out of 808.9 billion FCFA, or 66.2%.

Tax revenues increase, customs revenues decline

In detail, the three financial authorities collected 1,180 billion FCFA in the first half of the year, an increase of 4.4% year-on-year. The Directorate General of Taxes mobilized 724.3 billion FCFA, which is 83.2 billion more than a year earlier, reflecting a growth of 13%. In contrast, gross revenues from the Directorate General of Customs fell from 407.8 billion to 378.4 billion FCFA, a decrease of 29.5 billion or 7.2%.

The decline in customs revenues occurs against a backdrop of the ongoing closure of the border with Niger, the weakness of the naira against the CFA franc, the rise of the dollar, and security constraints in the northern part of the country. Non-tax revenues of the Treasury reached 77.3 billion FCFA, down from 81.1 billion a year earlier, representing a decrease of 4.7%.

In total, state budget revenues amounted to 1,220.8 billion FCFA by the end of June, against a revised annual forecast of 2,736.1 billion. The budget deficit stands at 345.6 billion FCFA, compared to 244.1 billion during the same period in 2025.