Benin: Paul Hounkpè’s proposals on agriculture, industrialization, and growth.
As part of the campaign for the April 12, 2026 presidential election in Benin, candidate Paul Hounkpè highlights an economic vision built around agriculture, industrialization, and inclusive growth. Supported especially by his team, this orientation starts from a clear assessment: despite an economic growth estimated at nearly 8% according to official data, a large segment of Benin’s population remains confronted with poverty, thus revealing the limits of a development model deemed insufficiently inclusive.
For the candidate, this growth does not translate into a meaningful improvement in living conditions. Nearly 40% of Beninese would still live in extreme poverty, with difficulties in accessing essential needs. This situation highlights an economy marked by persistent underemployment and a limited impact on reducing inequalities. Therefore, Paul Hounkpè and his team believe it is necessary to rethink, at a fundamental level, the foundations of the current economic model.
One of the major axes of this reform concerns agriculture. The diagnosis highlights the predominance of small farms, often tiny, that keep producers in subsistence livelihoods. In response to this, the candidate proposes a paradigm shift through a reform of the national agricultural market, accompanied by a structured food security program. The goal is to guarantee farmers stable incomes, notably through establishing an annual floor income, as well as better social protection for rural workers.
On the industrial front, the project advocated by Paul Hounkpè focuses on supporting small and medium-sized enterprises, considered the potential engine of economic transformation. The candidate criticizes an investment code deemed not favorable to SMEs, as well as an environment marked by heavy tax pressure and external competition deemed unfair. He thus proposes to redirect public policies in favor of local technological innovation and import-substitution industries, while addressing persistent energy challenges.
Finally, beyond sectoral reforms, Paul Hounkpè advocates an inclusive political approach, with the establishment of a national unity government as soon as he takes office. This ambition aims to bring together talents from diverse backgrounds to accelerate the country’s development. Addressing especially unemployed young graduates, the candidate calls for a commitment to economic and social renewal, grounded in industrialization and the creation of lasting opportunities.
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