Bénin’s top officials pitch industrial transformation at Africa Forward forum
The Director General of SIPI-BENIN S.A, Létondji Beheton, and the Managing Director of CDC Bénin, Maryse Lokossou, recently highlighted the country’s industrial and financial blueprint at the Africa Forward | Inspire & Connect event in Kenya. Organized under a joint initiative by the governments of Bénin and Kenya, the forum served as a platform to showcase investment prospects and foster economic partnerships across the continent.
The two Béninois leaders underscored the importance of local raw material processing, industrialization, and long-term capital mobilization as pillars of Bénin’s economic growth strategy. Central to their presentation was the Glo-Djigbé Industrial Zone (GDIZ), a flagship project driving the country’s economic transformation agenda.
GDIZ emerges as a catalyst for industrial growth
Létondji Beheton, who previously worked with international financial institutions, detailed his return to Bénin in 2016 to contribute to business climate improvements and industrial project development. He emphasized the rapid expansion of the GDIZ, a special economic zone spanning 1,640 hectares. With over twenty operational factories and nearly 25,000 jobs already created, the zone is transforming Bénin’s industrial landscape.
However, he acknowledged persistent challenges, including high energy costs, limited access to affordable financing, and inadequate logistics infrastructure. To address these hurdles, Bénin is prioritizing investments in industrial, energy, and logistics infrastructure to bolster local processing of agricultural commodities. The country aims to enhance the transformation of cotton and cashew nuts, leveraging its position as a leading African producer of raw cotton.
CDC Bénin mobilizes long-term capital for economic transformation
Maryse Lokossou, who heads CDC Bénin—a public institution established in 2018—outlined its role as a sovereign wealth fund tasked with mobilizing long-term resources for strategic projects. Speaking from her extensive experience at the West African Development Bank (BOAD), she highlighted CDC Bénin’s mission to finance investments that sustainably support the country’s economic transformation.
She noted significant progress in local processing, with approximately 13% of raw cotton now refined domestically before export, and nearly half of exported cashew nuts undergoing local transformation. These efforts are expected to create job opportunities and enhance industrial skill development.
Bénin seeks international investors to accelerate industrialization
Addressing a room of international investors and partners, the Béninois officials extended invitations for collaboration. Maryse Lokossou assured that CDC Bénin is prepared to support project promoters in mitigating industrial investment risks. Meanwhile, Létondji Beheton stressed the urgency of accelerating investment flows to meet the country’s industrial ambitions.
The officials portrayed Bénin as a structured ecosystem where industrial infrastructure, financial support, and political commitment converge. Their participation in the forum aimed to boost the country’s global visibility and attract foreign investments in industrial processing, energy, and infrastructure development.