Transport in Benin

For short trips and the last part of a journey, many people in Benin use motorcycles, motorcycle taxis, minibuses, taxis, bicycles or walk. A motorcycle taxi (Zémidjan) provides door-to-door service. An urban minibus (Tokpa-Tokpa) operates in city transport. Both services are generally flexible, but prices, departure times, vehicle condition, comfort and safety levels vary greatly by route and provider. In the Grand Nokoué metropolitan area, including Cotonou, Porto-Novo, Sèmè-Podji, Abomey-Calavi and Ouidah, a World Bank estimate attributed about 70 percent of motorized trips to Zémidjan; this figure is not a nationwide modal split. Walking remains particularly relevant in the region for short and inexpensive trips. Formal bus services are still limited. The Grand Nokoué program plans a network of buses and water transport, gradual fleet renewal, as well as electric motorcycles, electric buses and electric boats. The first phase targets around 270,000 people within reach, and the long-term target is about 360,000 daily passengers. This plan does not describe a service already available everywhere. Public transport in Benin is therefore organized partly formally and partly informally. Motorcycle-taxi drivers are supposed to receive municipal operating numbers, but registration and enforcement are not complete everywhere. Municipalities, the land transport directorate (Direction des Transports Terrestres (DTT)), the National Land Transport Agency (Agence Nationale des Transports Terrestres (ANaTT)) and other government bodies have different responsibilities for planning, licensing, monitoring and road safety. A nationwide timetable or uniform fare list for public transport has not been reliably documented. Fixed prices therefore cannot be stated generally. For the Abomey-Calavi–Cotonou route, covering about 15 to 20 kilometres, the World Bank cited up to 1,000 FCFA for a Zémidjan as a historical estimate in 2023; this amount is not a binding fare. Rail transport currently has no reliably documented, current passenger connection with a nationwide timetable. Historical routes, including the Cotonou–Parakou connection and parts of the coastal rail network, were abandoned. Rehabilitation and regional express plans exist, but they do not replace confirmed ongoing rail operations. Travel between cities therefore mainly relies on intercity buses, minibuses, private vehicles and motorcycles. Cotonou Airport is the main gateway for air travel; flight schedules and prices vary by provider and travel date. Informal boat connections operate on Lake Nokoué and the lagoons, including between Cotonou and Porto-Novo and between Cotonou and Abomey-Calavi. The boats use limited or temporary landing points, have low capacity and lack a uniform nationwide timetable or fare structure. Formal public water transport is planned but has not been introduced nationwide. Traffic drives on the right in Benin. Anyone driving a vehicle needs a valid driving licence and the required vehicle documents. The ANaTT provides services including registration, change of ownership, duplicates, driving-licence examinations, technical inspections, transport permits, international registration certificates and international driving permits. Fees and processing times depend on the specific service. A foreign driving licence may be subject to an exchange procedure after a stay of more than six months. A category B driving licence is intended for a taxi with up to five seats. Roadside checks are common. Overloading or vehicles exceeding permitted dimensions can result in fines, seizure and, depending on the case, criminal consequences. The WHO baseline data for 2023 record a national law requiring helmets for drivers and passengers on all roads, as well as a law against driving under the influence of alcohol and a ban on using a mobile phone while driving. They also provide for regular technical inspections. By contrast, this data source records no national law on seat belts or general speed limits. A draft of a new road traffic law submitted to Parliament in 2025 was reported, but its entry into force and the current consolidated legal position are not confirmed here. Motorcycle traffic, weak compliance with rules, congestion, pedestrians, non-motorized carts and roadside obstacles increase the risk of accidents. Night travel and travel on rural roads require additional caution. During the rainy season from May to September, unpaved roads may become more difficult to use. In Greater Grand Nokoué and on heavily travelled north-south and Abidjan-Lagos routes, dense traffic affects travel times. Walking and cycling have no fare, but depend on weather, road surfaces and safety conditions. Cycling is particularly economical and practical in regional centres, but dedicated cycling facilities are limited and bicycles sometimes have a poor public image. Government plans provide for sidewalks, cycle lanes and other infrastructure. Environmental rules include, among others, the provisions of Decree 2001-110 on air quality and vehicle emissions. Motorcycles and Zémidjan contribute simultaneously to mobility, congestion, accidents and air pollution. An estimate by the World Bank Global Facility for Disaster Reduction and Recovery puts transport emissions in Benin in 2023 at around 2.1 million tonnes of CO2 equivalent, approximately 15 percent of greenhouse-gas emissions; this is an estimate, not a national inventory figure. Electric vehicles and fleet renewal may reduce emissions, but create new risks from battery and spare-parts waste, construction dust, and oil and water pollution. The national 2025–2029 strategy aims for a more interconnected and economically efficient transport system.