Benin

In Benin, only two in ten children complete lower secondary school, and 75,000 young people enter the labor market each year but struggle to find jobs. AFD Group supports the Beninese authorities to improve youth training, strengthen links to employment, and promote entrepreneurship.

• Support secondary education through the construction of middle and high schools, curriculum support, and stronger system management. As a result, 100,000 middle and high school students have seen improved learning conditions.
• Develop vocational training to support youth employment. AFD Group supports 16 high schools and vocational training and apprenticeship centers, including five new high schools benefiting 50,000 students, as well as the creation of three funds to support youth integration into the labor market.
• Support entrepreneurship through the Choose Africa initiative by strengthening advisory services and access to finance for micro, small, and medium-sized enterprises. More than 80,000 businesses have already been supported.

In Benin, two out of three people do not have access to electricity, and only 12% have access in rural areas.

AFD Group finances improved access to electricity by supporting the modernization and expansion of the grid, the development of renewable energy through public and private financing, and stronger performance by national electricity companies.

These investments enable an additional 1.5 million people – more than one in ten Beninese citizens – to gain access to electricity. Through the construction of the Pobè solar power plant, support for private solar plants, and the rollout of a pilot solar battery system, they also help Benin strengthen its energy mix with 100 MWp of clean energy, covering 20% of the country’s annual consumption.

Benin has made culture a pillar of its economic development and international outreach. It is also a priority in its bilateral relationship with France. AFD Group has therefore significantly increased its investment in this sector in recent years.

It supports the construction and operation of two flagship museums:

• The Museum of the Kings and Amazons of Danxomè, which will house the 27 treasures returned by France to Benin at the Abomey site, a UNESCO World Heritage site. The project supports the construction of the museum and the restoration of the royal palaces, while also strengthening the skills of artisans and heritage professionals involved in the site.
• The Cotonou Museum of Contemporary Art, located at the heart of the future cultural district, is intended to host major international exhibitions while showcasing the diversity of Beninese and African contemporary art.

To support the ongoing reform momentum, AFD Group has financed its first public policy loan for culture in Benin. The aim is to strengthen the structuring of the sector, the professionalization of its stakeholders, and access to culture.

As part of efforts to boost regional development in Benin, AFD Group supports the sustainable planning of cities and agricultural areas.

While half of Benin’s population now lives in urban areas, these cities are increasingly vulnerable to the effects of climate change, particularly flood risks. AFD Group supports Beninese local authorities in their urban development through infrastructure that improves living conditions, planning assistance, and stronger local governance. Six cities have been supported, benefiting 240,000 residents.

The agricultural sector, meanwhile, faces multiple challenges, including low productivity, limited access to land, and degradation of natural resources.

AFD Group supports the country in promoting sustainable and inclusive family farming by investing in key infrastructure for local development, supporting the agroecological transition, strengthening food security through the development of protein sectors such as soy and aquaculture, and promoting the preservation of natural resources. As a result, 80,000 farmers have been supported and 300,000 hectares of forests are covered by sustainable management plans.

In Benin, significant challenges remain in access to healthcare, the quality of human resources and infrastructure, as well as risk prevention, particularly in the northern part of the country.

AFD Group is engaged in the health sector through actions aimed at ensuring access to and quality of care, particularly for women and children, developing community health, strengthening the health workforce, improving regulation of the pharmaceutical market, and combating HIV/AIDS, malaria, and tuberculosis. As a result, 1.2 million people in Benin have benefited from community healthcare services, and 1,500 health workers have been trained.

AFD Group also supports the Beninese Civil Protection Agency through the introduction of a single emergency number to reach firefighters, the construction and equipment of emergency response centers, and public awareness campaigns on first aid.

Support is also provided to strengthen domestic resource mobilization through assistance with the digitalization of the Directorate General of Taxes.