Benin, a West African lower-middle-income country, has approximately 14 million inhabitants, 65% of whom are under 20 years old. Its strategic location on the Gulf of Guinea makes it an important commercial hub. However, its northern regions face significant challenges due to escalating instability and insecurity in the Sahel.
To address these issues, the government has launched ambitious reforms aimed at improving public finance management, stimulating economic transformation and industrialisation, and promoting human capital.
Our partnership
The EU supports Benin's journey towards sustainable and inclusive development, aligning with the “Programme d’action du Gouvernement 2021-2026”, the “Programme national de Développement 2018-2025” and the Global Gateway Strategy. This comprehensive partnership fosters a prosperous, secure society through support for the green transition, human capital, and economic opportunities.
Team Europe in Benin brings together the EU, the European Investment Bank (EIB), Belgium, France, Germany, Luxemburg, and The Netherlands. Through the Neighbourhood, Development and International Cooperation Instrument (NDICI-Global Europe), the EU allocated EUR 255 million for Benin over 2021-2024. Benin also benefits from various multi-country and globally supported EU initiatives notably from the regional programme for Sub-Saharan Africa for 2021-2027.
- 8 MARCH 2022
- 11 NOVEMBER 2024
- 6 NOVEMBER 2023
- 12 DECEMBER 2022
- 16 DECEMBER 2021
Our flagship initiatives
- Sustainable growth and jobs
To support Benin's use of its human capital for driving inclusive and sustainable growth, this initiative includes:
- Technical and Vocational Education and Training (TVET): Modernising TVET to align with market needs, focusing on agriculture, digitalisation, and tourism, as they carry the highest growth potential. Team Europe's support includes constructing and renovating TVET schools, offering training opportunities, institutional support, and training TVET teachers in agriculture and rural development.
- Youth Employment: Generating job opportunities for the youth in Northern Benin and establishing mobility frameworks with the EU (Erasmus+) and within Africa for staff and students.
- Young Businesses: Benin serves as a pilot country for the Team Europe Initiative on Investing in Young Businesses in Africa (IYBA), launched in Cotonou in March 2024. This initiative fosters entrepreneurial ecosystems and small businesses, with the SEED project providing young businesses and entrepreneurs with financial access and technical assistance.
- Renewable energy
To boost renewable energy, energy efficiency, and modernise clean energy services, Team Europe in Benin focuses on:
- Generation: Increasing the production of renewable energy (e.g. the construction of the DEFISSOL solar power plant in Onigbolo, initially 25 MW, now upgraded to 50 MW).
- Access: Enhancing energy access through the extension and modernisation of the electricity network (PRERA project), and through large-scale deployment of off-grid solar installations to transform rural electrification.
- Interconnection: Strengthening Benin’s grid integration within the regional market (e.g. the recent construction and inauguration of the Information and Coordination Centre of the West Africa Power Pool (WAPP) in Cotonou.
- Transport
To enhance road and maritime connectivity, reinforcing Benin's status as a regional commercial hub, the transport initiative includes:
- Building up a port ecosystem: Upgrading the Port of Cotonou by promoting reforms to support investment and public-private partnerships, constructing a new fishing harbour, scaling up skills, and improving environmental and energy efficiency through infrastructural, institutional, and operational support.
- Rehabilitating roads: Positioned at the heart of the Cotonou-Niamey and Abidjan-Lagos Global Gateway strategic transport corridors, Benin sees Team Europe backing the rehabilitation of the 152km Allada-Dassa road, developing the 210km Djougou-Pehunco-Kerou road, and enhancing road transport governance.
- Environment and agrifood systems
To protect the environment, boost rural development, and strengthen agrifood systems, Team Europe supports Benin in:
- Protecting the environment: Supporting the management of the Mono Delta Biosphere Reserve and the development of the Bouche du Roy marine protected area.
- Strengthening agrifood systems: Increasing agricultural productivity, supporting the development of a pastoral economy, and building capacity for climate-resilient food systems.
- Security and development in the Northern regions
The Northern regions, heavily affected by increasing instability and insecurity in the Sahel, receive support from Team Europe through an integrated approach focusing on:
- Peace and Security: Equipping and training security and defence forces to enhance aerial observation, border management, and efforts in combating organised crime and terrorism.
- Basic Services: Improving access to essential services, including drinking water supply, water drainage systems, and the construction of solar mini-grids and transmission lines, thereby bolstering population resilience and fostering economic opportunities, particularly for the youth.
- Governance
To improve public finance management, increase transparency and control over public finances, and bolster civil society.