• Benin launched its “Benin 2060 Alafia” national development vision, adopted by parliament in July 2025.
• The strategy rests on four pillars: peace, good governance, shared prosperity, and international cultural influence.
• Authorities anchored the vision in strong economic growth, reforms, and long-term policy alignment.

President Patrice Talon officially launched the national long-term development framework titled “Benin 2060 Alafia, a World of Splendours” on Tuesday, February 3, 2026. The document sets the country’s strategic direction for the next 34 years and follows its adoption by parliament in July 2025.

“This vision, which now becomes our shared compass, is not a simple document. It is an oath, a commitment, a direction. It defines the major projects to be carried out over two generations so that our development is never left to chance,” Talon said.

The framework aims to draw lessons from past policies, consolidate development gains, secure broad public support, and build a strong national consensus around long-term aspirations. The vision also seeks to identify potential structural breaks, define strategic courses of action, and provide a shared framework to align public policies over the short, medium, and long term.

Strategic Pillars for Sustainable and Inclusive Development

The vision is structured around nine strategic orientations, 15 strategic objectives, and four core pillars: peace, shared prosperity, good governance, and international cultural influence. Authorities anchored the strategy in sustained economic growth, higher investment levels, and deep structural transformation of the economy.

Parliament adopted the framework on July 4, 2025, formally closing the Benin 2025 Alafia cycle and launching a new path toward sustainable, inclusive, and structured development.

Economic Momentum Driven by Reforms

In recent years, Benin recorded one of the strongest growth rates within the West African Economic and Monetary Union (WAEMU). The World Bank reported economic growth of 7.5% in 2024, the country’s highest level since 1990, driven mainly by services and industry. In its latest Global Economic Prospects report, the institution forecast growth of 7% in 2026, the strongest within the regional bloc.

Since 2016, authorities have implemented several reforms to strengthen economic governance and improve domestic revenue mobilization. Measures included the removal of employer payroll tax exemptions in the public sector and the introduction of a single tax declaration form covering wages and social security contributions. The International Monetary Fund (IMF) said these measures, combined with a disciplined macroeconomic policy, strengthened economic resilience and initiated a structural transformation of the economy.

“Governing does not only mean transforming the present. Governing also means preparing the future. That is why we have a duty today to consolidate our achievements and place them on a clear and sustainable trajectory,” Talon said.

This article was initially published in French by Lydie Mobio

Adapted in English by Ange J.A de BERRY QUENUM