Benin and the Asian Infrastructure Investment Bank (AIIB) have agreed on an indicative $730 million portfolio for 2027-2028. Signed on 24 September, the agreement sets the framework for identifying and preparing future investments in energy, transport and climate resilience.

This amount is not yet fully approved or disbursed funding. The AIIB stresses that selected projects will still need to go through preparation, due diligence and approval stages for each operation.

$250 Million in policy-based financing

Of the $730 million envisaged, $250 million is expected to take the form of policy-based financing, aimed in particular at supporting Benin’s Vision 2060. The portfolio may also mobilise AIIB instruments dedicated to energy, food security, economic resilience and climate finance.

The agreement was signed by Rajat Misra, AIIB Director General for Public Sector Clients, Region 1, and Hugues Oscar Lokossou, Minister Delegate in charge of Mobilising External Resources and Debt Management. AIIB President Zou Jiayi and Aristide Medenou, Minister of Economy and Finance in charge of Cooperation, attended the signing.

AIIB’s first multi-year pipeline in Africa

The AIIB presents this arrangement as its first multi-year pipeline of its kind in Africa. It extends the partnership with Cotonou in infrastructure financing.

This cooperation already builds on a first major commitment in transport. In December 2025, the AIIB signed a $200 million loan for the Grand Nokoué Sustainable Urban Mobility Project, part of a programme of around $500 million co-financed with other partners.