Countries grow faster, create jobs, and attract investment when trade barriers are lowered, and goods can flow efficiently across borders.
The transport corridor between the Port of Cotonou in Benin and the capital city of Niamey, Niger has historically been one of the busiest crossings in West Africa, with up to 1,000 vehicles crossing per day. A significant percentage of these vehicles are trucks carrying goods to market. Strengthening and rehabilitating this corridor will allow goods to flow more efficiently to and from the Port of Cotonou, reaching additional markets in the region and beyond.
In 2022, MCC and the Government of Benin signed a regional compact to advance economic growth through greater regional integration. The MCC-Benin Regional Transport Compact is investing $202 million to widen and rehabilitate roads and to promote road safety and road maintenance in Benin. The Government of Benin is contributing an additional $204 million, marking the first time in MCC’s history that a partner government has committed more funding than MCC to a program.
The compact will include two projects: the Corridor Infrastructure Project and the Efficient Corridor Operations Project.
Originally, the Benin Regional Transport Compact was coupled with a similar regional compact with Niger to improve operations on both sides of the border. In June 2024, MCC’s Board of Directors voted to terminate MCC’s partnership with Niger following a coup d’état that occurred in 2023.
Program Projects
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$143,313,000
Project Total Amount -
$0
Project Amount Committed -
$0
Project Amount Expended
- The project will rehabilitate and expand 74 kilometers of roadway between the cities of Bohicon and Dassa-Zoumé, facilitating more efficient and competitive transit of goods between markets.
- By utilizing international best practices for road safety and launching road safety behavior campaigns for pedestrians and drivers, the project is expected to reduce road-related accidents.
- Policy and institutional reforms will strengthen Beninese institutions to better plan for and manage road maintenance works contracts, promoting the sustainability of MCC’s road investment and the entire national road network.
Projected Long Term Results at the Time of Program Signing
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1,240,000
Estimated Beneficiaries -
17%
Estimated Economic Rate of Return
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$26,000,000
Project Total Amount -
$0
Project Amount Committed -
$0
Project Amount Expended
- The project aims to improve operations in the transport sector by strengthening the Government of Benin’s oversight for trucks and freight vehicles and professionalizing truck driver training.
- Policy and institutional reforms will reduce transit times, freight costs, road damage, and traffic accidents along the transport corridor.