Energy: SDEPAC becomes the sole manager of electricity distribution at the Port of Cotonou.

This decision directly stems from the application of a concession agreement concluded between the Beninese state and SDEPAC. From now on, this entity will function as a one-stop shop and become the only operator authorized to intervene for all distribution, supply, and billing operations of electricity throughout the port area.

All technical and commercial requests from users will henceforth be addressed directly to SDEPAC, without intermediaries. This notably includes:

• ​Requests for temporary electrical connections and hookups.
• ​Modifications to installations on the internal network.
• Requests for increases or decreases in energy capacity.

A Technical Empowerment to Secure the Port’s Growth

This operational transfer coincides with a pivotal phase of strengthening the infrastructure of the national economic hub, managed since 2018 by Port of Antwerp International as part of a massive investment plan exceeding 480 billion CFA francs. In this accelerated modernization scheme, the stability and continuity of energy supply represent critical issues for the competitiveness of the platform.

To support this ambition, the West African Development Bank (BOAD) has recently granted significant financial assistance aimed at structurally strengthening the port’s electrical supply, starting from the strategic 161/63 kV source station in Vèdoko. The creation and operation of SDEPAC will thus allow for the isolation and segmentation of the technical management of energy flows from the general port authority.

This transition materializes a fundamental trend observed within major international logistics platforms, eager to free themselves from the contingencies of national distribution networks. It is part of the continuity of the first initiatives for the empowerment of the Port of Cotonou, initiated as early as October 2017 through a 5 billion CFA franc agreement with the Benin Electric Community (CEB) for the deployment of 10 kilometers of high-voltage underground line. By centralizing interventions and billing, this new energy governance aims to ensure continuous operational excellence for the benefit of international trade and hinterland stakeholders.