Benin Introduces New Road Maintenance Approach with GENiS

The Benin government, in collaboration with the Millennium Challenge Account-Benin Regional (MCA-Benin Regional), is set to introduce a new approach to road maintenance, known as Gestion de l'entretien routier par niveaux de service (GENiS). This approach focuses on performance-based contracts, where companies will be required to maintain predetermined levels of service throughout the contract duration. A five-day training session was launched on November 9, 2026, in Cotonou, to equip key stakeholders with the necessary skills and knowledge.

The GENiS approach marks a significant shift from traditional contracts, where companies are primarily paid based on the quantity of work done. Under GENiS, companies will be required to guarantee measurable performance standards, including road conditions, drainage, signage, safety, and infrastructure availability. This new approach aims to prioritize the level of service provided to road users. According to Afiss Bileoma, coordinator of MCA-Benin Regional, the focus will be on the actual level of service delivered.

The training session, led by international road network management specialist Akli Ourad, brings together representatives from the road administration, Société des infrastructures routières et de l'aménagement du territoire (SIRAT), construction companies, and study and control bureaus. The goal is to strengthen their capacity on GENiS principles and associated contractual mechanisms, ahead of the launch of a pilot market by SIRAT. This development is part of a broader reform of Benin's road maintenance system.

SIRAT has already begun drafting a standard call for tender document to guide the contractualization of maintenance services under the new approach. The MCA-Benin Regional is providing support to review and improve the document, identifying necessary operational, contractual, and institutional prerequisites for its implementation. SIRAT aims to launch the first GENiS-based maintenance contracts in the second half of 2027.

The introduction of GENiS is one of five modernization axes for Benin's road maintenance system, supported by MCA-Benin Regional. Other components include the acquisition of intelligent vehicles, multifunctional vehicles, and deflectographs to monitor road conditions, as well as the development of a road heritage management system and the creation of a road management and evaluation unit.

The reform is expected to contribute to better conservation of infrastructure, optimized maintenance spending, innovation in intervention methods, and greater accountability of companies. It also aims to enhance transparency in contract monitoring. According to Joseph Ahissou, representative of the Minister of Environment and Transport, the success of this reform depends on the adhesion and appropriation of these principles by all stakeholders.

The GENiS approach is part of a larger Compact agreement between Benin and the United States, through the Millennium Challenge Corporation (MCC), worth $291 million. The agreement includes a $202 million contribution from the US and $89 million from the Benin government. The new approach is expected to improve the management of Benin's road network and enhance the quality of service provided to road users.

Key points

• Introduction of performance-based contracts for road maintenance
• Training session held for key stakeholders
• Implementation expected to improve road maintenance and transparency