During the Council of Ministers held on Wednesday, May 28, and chaired by President Patrice Talon, the Beninese government adopted new measures to improve access to social housing across the country.
Among the key decisions was an update to the terms and conditions for acquiring government-subsidized housing. The adjustments aim to broaden access, particularly for the diaspora and retirees.
The revised provisions include:
- Extension of lease-to-own options for economic housing to include all Beninese nationals living abroad and individuals who have retired;
- Extension of repayment periods for economic housing from 17 to 20 years;
- Reduction of the discount rate used to calculate monthly payments, lowered from 6.5% to 4.5%.
These new conditions will apply to the entire housing program, including properties offered through the National Social Security Fund (CNSS), to ensure consistency and fairness in line with the public interest.
It is important to note that the purchase prices for economic housing under lump-sum payment remain unchanged, as per the Council of Ministers’ decision on September 25, 2024.
Likewise, the terms for acquiring social housing (Type D)—reserved for eligible civil servants—remain unchanged. These homes are offered through lease-to-own contracts with fixed monthly payments of 97,000 CFA francs over a 25-year period.