In Benin, the State’s global budget for 2018 should reach FCFA1,862.918 billion ($3.3 billion), thus down by FCFA147.668 billion compared to 2017 (FCFA2,010.586 billion). This was revealed last Wednesday by Agence Bénin Presse (ABP) which cites Gratien Laurent Ahouanménou, technical economic advisor of the parliament’s president.

According to M. Ahouanménou who was expressing himself during a seminar organized for deputies towards to the appropriation of the budget, the latter is balanced in regards to revenues and expenditures.

For 2018, expenditures are forecast at FCFA1,406.318 billion, against FCFA1,697.986 billion in 2017. This represents a decrease of $291.668 billion which the official attributes to the government’s efforts to improve public finances via public-private partnership.

The new budget, ABP indicates, is based on a 6% growth of real GDP. Meanwhile, inflation should stay around 2.1% and tax pressure at 14.4%. As for budget deficit, it is estimated to reach 4.6% of GDP.

As Nigeria’s neighbor, it should be noted that Benin’s economic performances depend greatly of those of the African giant.

Fiacre E. Kakpo