• Benin forms agency to develop maritime and lagoon infrastructure
• New company to manage shipyard, dredging, and coastal protection
• Initiative supports lake transport and aims to ease road congestion

Benin has approved the creation of the Beninese Maritime and Lagoon Infrastructure Company, a new public entity charged with managing the country’s coastal, river, and lagoon infrastructure. The announcement was made by the Council of Ministers on May 28, 2025.

The company’s mandate includes formulating and executing long-term strategies to protect Benin’s coastline. It will oversee dredging activities, spatial planning, and conservation of natural areas. Additionally, the entity will be responsible for building and operating a national shipyard, maintaining floating devices, and ensuring their navigability.

The creation of this company aligns with broader state efforts to expand and modernize water-based transport. As part of the government’s 2021–2026 Action Plan, Benin is implementing a restoration project for Lake Nokoué and the Porto-Novo Lagoon. The goal is to ease pressure on overburdened road infrastructure by improving access to lagoon and river corridors.

The lake transport initiative includes building three ports, constructing connecting road networks, dredging navigable channels, and creating artificial islands. These physical projects will be complemented by institutional reforms to ensure sustainable development and passenger safety.

This multisectoral initiative also targets environmental and social outcomes. Public-private partnerships are expected to play a key role, with additional goals of revaluing lowlands, supporting the fisheries sector, promoting ecotourism, and boosting local economies.

Lake transport is seen as a solution to projected population growth in the Cotonou metropolitan region, where rising mobility demand is likely to increase congestion. Expanding inland water transport could lower logistical costs and support the distribution of agricultural and industrial products throughout the country.

In April, the government adopted the Ministry of Living Environment and Transport’s 2025–2029 strategic plan, budgeted at $9.7 billion. The plan aims to position Benin as a green, clean, and economically dynamic country with a high-performance multimodal transport system by 2030.