Benin’s government has approved a 10-year national development plan aimed at expanding industrial capacity, reducing inequality and strengthening institutions, according to an official statement released after a cabinet meeting on Wednesday.
The plan, which covers the period from 2026 to 2035, seeks to diversify the West African nation’s economy by increasing the contribution of the secondary sector manufacturing and industry from an average of 16.3 percent between 2015 and 2024 to 21.1 percent over the next decade.
Officials said the strategy is designed to accelerate structural transformation in an economy that remains heavily reliant on agriculture and informal trade, while improving productivity and creating jobs.
A key target of the plan is to reduce social inequality, with the government aiming to lower the Gini coefficient from 34.4 in 2021 to an average of 30 over the implementation period.
The Gini index is a widely used measure of income inequality, where lower values indicate a more equal distribution of wealth.
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The development blueprint also places emphasis on governance reforms, with authorities seeking to strengthen institutions and improve the rule of law.
According to the statement, the rule of law index is expected to rise from 0.48 in 2024 to an average of 0.52 by 2035, reflecting efforts to enhance judicial efficiency, transparency and accountability in public administration.
The government further said the plan includes measures to promote cultural identity and strengthen what it described as “endogenous values,” alongside broader socio-economic reforms.
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Officials described the strategy as a comprehensive framework structured around 17 priority areas, although full details of sector-specific allocations were not immediately disclosed.
The plan comes as Benin continues efforts to position itself as a stable investment destination in West Africa, with recent reforms focusing on infrastructure development, digital transformation and improvements in the business environment.
Over the past decade, the country has recorded relatively strong economic growth compared with regional peers, supported by public investment and reforms aimed at improving fiscal management and attracting foreign investment.
However, challenges remain, including high levels of informal employment, vulnerability to external shocks, and persistent regional security risks linked to instability in the Sahel.
Economists say the success of the new development plan will depend on implementation capacity, access to financing and the government’s ability to translate policy targets into measurable outcomes across key sectors such as manufacturing, agriculture processing and services.
The plan aligns with broader regional ambitions in West Africa to accelerate industrialisation and reduce dependence on commodity exports by strengthening domestic value chains and expanding intra-African trade under frameworks such as the African Continental Free Trade Area.
