ECONOMY

Benin successfully carried out an international fundraising of $850 million on January 22, 2026, marked by the inaugural issue of a $500 million sovereign Sukuk. A historic operation, the first of its kind for an African state, which demonstrates the…

Two major Swiss companies specializing in commodity trading have agreed to collaborate with the administration of U.S. President Donald Trump to facilitate the flow of Venezuelan oil, RFI reported in an article picked up by the international press. This move…

Benin opened 2026 with an auction of 60 billion CFA francs on the regional debt market, on January 7, marking a new step in its financing strategy. According to information reported by Ecofin Agency, the subscription exceeded the proposed amount,…

Benin is actively pursuing its strategy to mobilize internal resources. The Beninese Public Treasury successfully raised 60 billion FCFA on the WAEMU regional financial market, following a public debt issuance operation carried out at the beginning of January 2026. This…

The Nigerian Electricity Regulatory Commission has reported substantial receivables held by Nigeria from three West African countries for electricity supply under cross-border bilateral contracts. According to the report published by the regulatory authority for the third quarter of 2025, Togo,…

The 2025 edition of the Economic Freedom Index by “The Heritage Fondation”, reported by Agence Ecofin, paints an unflattering picture for the African continent. In the majority of countries, barriers to economic freedom remain strong, driven by persistent corruption, burdensome…

At its 149th meeting held on 11 December 2025 in Nairobi, the Board of Directors of Shelter Afrique Development Bank (ShafDB) elected former Beninese Prime Minister Lionel Zinsou as the institution’s president. Specializing in housing finance, urban development and related…

This commissioning responds to the need to improve traffic flow on this major stretch, which regularly faces heavy traffic. The decision aligns with the provisions of Order No. 032 of 29 June 2018, which sets out the rules for collecting…

The Autonomous Port of Cotonou has a new Board of Directors. Head of State Patrice Talon appointed seven members by decree on 5 November 2025. Their mission will be to guide and validate strategic decisions aimed at strengthening the port’s…

The Beninese government presented to MPs the main orientations of the draft finance law (PLF) 2026, with a balanced budget estimated at 3 783,984 milliards de FCFA. According to the document presented to parliamentarians, the 2026 draft finance law is…

A delegation of about ten Moroccan companies from the agri-food sector is currently on a trade mission in Cotonou. The trip, organized from October 21 to 24, 2025, aims to explore export opportunities and partnerships with Beninese stakeholders. The initiative…

The National Agency for Market Management (ANaGeM) has launched the selection process for operators who will run its two new major facilities: the Grand Nokoué Agro-Food Hub in Abomey-Calavi and the General Mathieu Kérékou Commercial Hub in Cotonou. Presented as…

The Beninese government has signed a contract with the French communications agency Havas Paris to promote the emblematic Beninese pineapple variety, Ananas Pain de Sucre, on the French market. This decision is part of a broader strategy to enhance high-value…

The International Monetary Fund (IMF) praised the conduct of Senegalese authorities following the disclosure of a previously undisclosed debt. In a statement published on Wednesday, October 16, 2025, the institution acknowledged the “courage” of the Senegalese government in exposing this…

The International Monetary Fund (IMF) announced on Friday that it had reached a preliminary agreement with the Ghanaian government as part of the fifth review of its support program. This progress could allow the disbursement of $385 million, bringing to…

The project to modernize Cotonou’s artisanal fishing port has reached a major milestone. After signing the financing agreement with the Kingdom of the Netherlands in February 2024, the release of 23 billion CFA francs was conditional on meeting certain requirements…

Benin’s poultry sector reform takes a new step forward with the oversight mechanism of the Société de Développement des Fermes Avicoles S.A. (SDFA). Through decree no. 2025-539, President Patrice Talon appointed the statutory auditors of the Société de Développement des…

People wishing to benefit from the Alafia microcredit can now access loans of up to 200,000 FCFA. This increase was decided by the government at the Council of Ministers on Wednesday, September 24, 2025, as part of the imminent launch…

The Beninese government is issuing a call for expressions of interest for the development of private warehouses in Calavi, as part of the Grand Nokoué agri-food logistics platform and wholesale market project. The objective is to attract private investors to…

The African Development Bank (AfDB) has a new president. Mauritanian national Sidi Ould Tah officially took office this Monday in Abidjan, succeeding Nigerian Akinwumi Adesina for a five-year term. At 60 years old, Sidi Ould Tah was elected last May…

Benin’s executive is projecting an ambitious budgetary path for the coming years. According to projections in the Multi-year Budgetary and Economic Programming Document (DPBEP), the wage bill-to-tax revenue ratio is expected to drop from 32.2% in 2025 to 30.9% in…

The Beninese government is taking another step in its international economic influence strategy by organizing, on Thursday, August 28, 2025, the Benin Business Forum in Higashi-Osaka, Japan. This initiative aims to strengthen trade ties between Benin and Japan and position…

The visit of a Russian delegation led by the Russian Minister of Energy, Sergey Tsivilev, to Burkina Faso concluded with an agreement to form an intergovernmental commission (IGC) to deepen bilateral cooperation. The negotiations focused on energy-related, trade, and joint…

The Central Bank of Ghana has decided to cut its key interest rate by three points in response to slowing inflation and the exit from a severe economic crisis, reports the information site Africanews. According to this media, the monetary…

This is a breath of fresh air for the Beninese agricultural sector. The African Development Bank (ADB) has just approved funding of $30.25 million, or more than 16.7 billion CFA francs, to support Benin’s efforts to protect its farmers against…

The Benin government has declared a vast area of 983 hectares in Illara, in the commune of Kétou, as of public utility. This decision, taken at the Council of Ministers on Wednesday, July 23, 2025, marks the official launch of…

In Benin, the council of ministers met this Wednesday, July 23, 2025. The following decisions have been made:

In an atmosphere described as relaxed and conducive to exchange, President Patrice Talon met on Friday with leaders of major companies operating in Benin. Held at the Marina Palace, this listening session aimed to gather their concerns and identify tangible…

Benin recorded an economic growth of 7.5% in 2024, its highest level since 1990, according to the latest Economic Outlook Report published by the World Bank on July 17, 2025. This remarkable performance is mainly attributed to the dynamism of…

The Public Market Regulation Authority (ARMP) made a firm decision on June 12, 2025: the immediate suspension of two public procurement officials in the municipality of Tori-Bossito for serious professional misconduct. The measure, contained in decision n°2025-079, follows a complaint…