The Beninese government has secured over 60 billion FCFA in funding for three key sectors: electricity, agriculture, and forensic expertise. On October 5, 2026, two financing conventions were signed between Benin and the French Development Agency (AFD), with a global amount of 61.9 billion FCFA. An additional letter of mandate with Bpifrance, worth 3.54 billion FCFA, was also signed. These agreements were made on the sidelines of a meeting between Beninese President Romuald Wadagni and French President Emmanuel Macron at the Elysée.
The funds will be invested in projects aimed at improving access to electricity, agricultural production, and modernizing forensic expertise. The electricity sector will receive 52.1 billion FCFA to extend the distribution network of the Société Béninoise d'Electricité (SBEE). This project, called PEDER+, will provide over 120,000 new connections to 750 localities in 15 communes. The goal is to improve service quality, reduce access disparities, and decrease network losses.
The agricultural sector will receive 9.8 billion FCFA to support the development of the fishery and local food chains. Specifically, 6.6 billion FCFA will be dedicated to building a competitive fishery value chain in ten communes. An additional 3.3 billion FCFA will support productive agricultural investments in poultry, rabbit, protein-rich, and oil-rich crops in sixteen communes.
The health and justice sectors will benefit from a laboratory national d'expertise ADN, which will have a capacity for 30,000 analyses per year. This project, carried out with the Laboratoire d'hématologie médico-légale de Bordeaux, aims for international accreditation ISO/IEC 17025. The project includes training over 500 professionals and creating a dedicated university program.
These agreements reflect the priorities of the Beninese government, particularly the fight against extreme poverty and the reinforcement of human capital. The President of the Republic has emphasized the importance of these sectors in improving living conditions, especially in rural areas. The projects will directly support the development plans of four of the six territorial poles.
The laboratory national d'expertise ADN represents a significant advancement in forensic expertise in Benin. Until now, genetic analyses requiring probative value had to be sent abroad, resulting in delays, costs, and dependence. The new laboratory will enable the country to conduct these analyses on its territory, carried out by Beninese professionals.
The partnership between Benin, France, and the European Union is highlighted through these agreements, demonstrating the country's ability to mobilize external resources under controlled conditions. The projects illustrate a transfer of competence rather than just a transfer of technology, as they include training and creating a dedicated university program.
Key points
- Benin secures 61.9 billion FCFA in funding from AFD for key sectors.
- The projects aim to improve access to electricity, agricultural production, and forensic expertise.
- The laboratory national d'expertise ADN will have a capacity for 30,000 analyses per year and aims for international accreditation.
