Affordable housing, smoother transport, improved waste management, flood prevention, and job creation: the shift toward sustainable cities is opening new pathways to better living conditions. In Cotonou, the fourth edition of the International Forum on Living Environment (FIC), which concluded on 10 October 2026, brought into focus the challenges of urban development that balances environmental protection, economic progress, and the essential needs of citizens.

In Benin, as in many African nations, the future of cities hinges on their ability to address the daily concerns of residents. Finding decent housing, moving around more easily, living in a healthier environment, and being less exposed to flooding are among the challenges that place spatial planning at the core of development policies.

It was against this backdrop that the fourth edition of the International Forum on Living Environment took place in Cotonou from 8 to 10 October 2026. Organised around the theme “Economy of African Territories: Accelerating the Transition to Carbon Sobriety,” the gathering highlighted the possibilities offered by a model of urban development that is more environmentally respectful and better suited to African realities.

Beyond discussions on reducing carbon emissions, the goal is to make the ecological transition a driver of tangible improvements in daily life. A sustainable city is not defined solely by its infrastructure or environmental performance, but also by its capacity to offer residents a healthier, more accessible, and safer living environment.

Better-planned cities to ease daily life for residents

The quality of the living environment depends first and foremost on how urban spaces are organised. When housing, workplaces, schools, and essential services are poorly distributed, travel becomes longer and more costly. Conversely, coherent urban planning can help bring services closer to people and facilitate their daily activities.

Improving mobility is therefore a major issue for Beninese cities. User-friendly facilities, better organisation of travel, and consideration for pedestrians and public transport can help make urban spaces more functional.

The project dedicated to the Fifa bus stop, led by Willson Edwin Mardochet ADJOVI and Mohamed BAYDOUN, was among the initiatives recognised during the hackathon held alongside FIC 2026. This proposal illustrates young people’s interest in the concrete challenges of mobility and urban planning.

The challenge now is to encourage the emergence of solutions capable of meeting user needs while taking into account technical, financial, and environmental constraints. Better-designed mobility can ultimately help reduce certain daily difficulties and improve access to essential services.

Sustainable housing: an economic and social issue

Housing represents another pillar of improving the living environment. For households, the quality of a home is measured as much by its solidity as by its comfort, its adaptation to climate conditions, and the costs it entails over time.

In this perspective, promoting local materials is a path worth exploring. Their use, when based on quality criteria and appropriate standards, can support national production sectors and encourage the development of local skills in the construction industry.

This approach can also open economic opportunities, particularly for artisans, building companies, and material producers. However, its benefits for households will depend on several factors, including production costs, resource availability, the quality of works, and their long-term durability.

At the forum’s closing, the Director General of Construction and Housing, Ismaïl YASSO, stressed the need to standardise and certify local materials. This step is essential to strengthen user confidence and promote the integration of these materials into construction practices.

The goal is to promote housing adapted to the country’s realities, without separating sustainability requirements from concerns about cost and accessibility.

Preventing floods and improving neighbourhood sanitation

The effects of inadequate planning also manifest through difficulties in draining rainwater, waste accumulation, and sanitation problems. For residents of exposed neighbourhoods, these situations can disrupt travel, weaken homes, and degrade living conditions.

Integrated urban planning that takes into account land use, infrastructure, flood risks, and ecosystem preservation is therefore essential. It allows for better anticipation of constraints and coordination of interventions rather than addressing problems in isolation.

Wastewater management is a key issue in this regard. The project presented by Nelly Mahouna GBAGUIDI and Meryl AGNIKPE, who were recognised at the FIC hackathon, reflects the interest in this problem.

Adapted solutions could help improve neighbourhood cleanliness and limit pollutant discharges into the environment. Their effectiveness will, however, depend on implementation, the resources mobilised, and the organisation of services responsible for their operation and maintenance.

Waste management and the preservation of natural spaces contribute to the same ambition: building cities where environmental concerns translate into visible benefits for populations.

Carbon sobriety: an opportunity for the local economy

The transition to carbon-sober territories is not limited to reducing the environmental impact of human activities. It can also foster the emergence of new economic activities in sustainable construction, recycling, sanitation, and the valorisation of local resources.

These sectors are likely to generate jobs and strengthen national skills. The participation of young people in the FIC hackathon illustrates the potential for innovation that new generations represent in the face of urban challenges.

Yet ideas must be able to move beyond competitions and professional gatherings. Financing, technical support, and project maturation are essential steps to transform proposals into genuinely useful services or infrastructure.

This is precisely one of the points raised by Ismaïl YASSO, who insisted on the need for sufficiently prepared projects to facilitate access to funding. Carbon sobriety can thus become a driver of economic development, provided its outcomes are assessed based on concrete achievements.

From forum to achievements: the post-FIC challenge

The tree-planting event held at the Fidjrossè public primary school ahead of the forum’s closing served as a reminder that transforming the living environment can also begin at the neighbourhood and school levels. Such initiatives help raise citizen awareness about protecting natural heritage, even if their effects depend on follow-up and plant maintenance.

At the end of this fourth edition, the Minister of Living Environment and Transport, Georges ALE, called on participants to translate the recommendations from the proceedings into precise actions, with clearly defined responsibilities and resources.

This call highlights the main challenge of FIC 2026: ensuring continuity between the discussions initiated and the transformations expected on the ground. For populations, results will need to be measured through tangible improvements, whether in access to housing, mobility, sanitation, or the reduction of environmental risks.

In Benin, the ambition of sustainable cities will only fully make sense if it translates into a perceptible improvement in living conditions. The success of this approach will depend on the ability of public authorities, local communities, economic stakeholders, and citizens to turn the forum’s orientations into feasible, accessible, and sustainable projects. For, beyond carbon sobriety, the real challenge remains building more pleasant cities to live in, where development directly benefits the people.

By Yacouba Ouédraogo — Journalist