Benin launches feasibility studies for 3 strategic road corridors with UEMOA support
On Tuesday, May 27, 2025, Benin officially launched a key infrastructure initiative with the installation of a national oversight committee in Cotonou. The committee will supervise feasibility studies for three major road projects, forming part of the country’s ongoing Government Action Program (PAG 2021–2026). The initiative is backed by significant financial support from the West African Economic and Monetary Union (UEMOA).
The newly installed committee will oversee studies for the following strategic routes:
- Djougou – N’Dali (127 km)
- Allada – Bohicon (75 km)
- Aplahoué – Abomey – Bohicon – Covè – Kpédékpo – Kétou – Illara (146 km)
These projects aim to improve national connectivity and enhance regional integration by facilitating trade and mobility between Benin and its neighbors, including Togo and Nigeria, as well as landlocked countries like Burkina Faso, Niger, and Mali.
A regional economic lever
Speaking at the installation ceremony, Djamal Gbian Tabé, Deputy Chief of Staff at the Ministry of Living Environment and Transport, emphasized the strategic importance of the initiative: “These projects will shorten travel times, lower logistics costs, and strengthen Benin’s role as a regional transit and trade hub.”
The studies will be carried out by SIRAT SA (Société des Infrastructures Routières et de l’Aménagement du Territoire), under a framework agreement signed on August 29, 2023, between the Beninese government and the UEMOA Commission. The agreement covers six key components: technical studies, economic and environmental assessments, capacity building, communication and visibility, monitoring and evaluation, and institutional coordination.
Through this program, Benin reaffirms its commitment to making its transport corridors vital arteries for regional commerce. The launch of these studies marks a crucial step toward the implementation of infrastructure projects that will reshape the country’s road network while meeting regional standards for connectivity, safety, and sustainability.