With Romuald Wadagni assuming the highest office, Bénin is embarking on a strategic shift in its development policy. Central to this new era is the revitalisation of the Sino-Bénin partnership, marked by the resumption of large-scale infrastructure projects in Cotonou and the country’s northern regions.

A strong signal has been sent in the early months of his term. The new president of the republic, Romuald Wadagni, formerly the nation’s chief financial officer and known for his macroeconomic discipline, intends to leave his imprint on the national territory. To achieve this, Cotonou is relying more than ever on its historic ally, Beijing. This renewed strategic partnership is materialising on the ground through the roar of construction machinery, from the Atlantic coast to the far reaches of the Grand North.

The renewal of the capital’s showcase: Cotonou undergoes transformation

In Cotonou and Porto-Novo, the objective is clear: complete urban modernisation and decongest the main economic arteries. Under President Wadagni’s leadership, Chinese cooperation is injecting new capital and deploying technical expertise on several fronts:

• Port modernisation and road corridors: Chinese construction companies are reinvesting in access routes to the Autonomous Port of Cotonou, the country’s economic engine, to streamline goods traffic toward the hinterland.
• Large-scale sanitation: The programme to modernise the stormwater drainage network and asphalt roads, heavily supported by Chinese engineering, is entering a decisive phase to sustainably protect the economic capital against recurrent flooding.

The Grand North at the heart of priorities: connectivity and security

While the capital receives a major facelift, the true break in Wadagni’s doctrine lies in accelerating investments in northern Bénin, notably in Parakou, Natitingou and Kandi. This priority responds to a dual imperative: economic and security-related.

The challenge of the northern region: in a regional context marked by cross-border security challenges in the Sahel, the Bénin government is convinced that connectivity and economic development are the best defences against instability.

Key axes of the Sino-Bénin plan for the North

1. Rehabilitation of strategic road corridors to Niger and Burkina Faso;
2. Improvement of multimodal transport infrastructure;
3. Logistical support for agricultural development hubs.

Chinese companies are thus mobilised to rehabilitate the National Inter-State Road (RNIE), essential for maintaining the competitiveness of the Bénin corridor against its West African rivals. By more effectively linking the port of Cotonou to the agricultural regions of the North and to landlocked countries, Bénin is giving itself the means to sustain resilient growth, estimated at nearly 6% in the medium term by international financial institutions.

The Wadagni method: financial rigour in service of infrastructure

China’s involvement under this new presidency is not haphazard. Drawing on his mastery of debt mechanisms and international financing, Romuald Wadagni advocates a rebalanced “win-win” partnership, based on efficient public-private partnerships (PPPs).

Beijing brings its technical and industrial power, while Cotonou guarantees a stable and sound macroeconomic framework, capable of reassuring foreign investors.

Challenges ahead

The path, however, remains strewn with obstacles. For this revival to be a lasting success, the government must ensure:

• Skills transfer: Guarantee that these mega-projects promote local employment and involve more Bénin subcontracting companies.
• Respect for execution deadlines: Accelerate administrative and procurement procedures, often considered bottlenecks in the implementation of national projects.

By simultaneously relaunching infrastructure in the South and the North, President Romuald Wadagni is playing his first major political and economic card. Bénin in 2026 is under construction, and the partnership with China is one of its main levers.