Author: Aïcha Abdou

By Aïcha Abdou — Journalist

Benin has taken a decisive step in preparing its 2027 fiscal year, with the government submitting its draft finance bill to the National Assembly for review and vote. Balanced at 4,757.029 billion FCFA in both resources and expenditures — up from 4,148.357 billion FCFA in the 2026 revised finance law — the proposal marks a 14.7% increase. This surge signals a clear ambition: to drive 7.5% economic growth, keep the deficit at 2.8% of GDP, and boost investments in sectors seen as key to economic and social transformation. A 14.7%…

At a moment when several West African seaports are buckling under crippling congestion, Benin’s maritime gateway is making a decisive move forward. With container wait times held between 36 and 72 hours, the Port of Cotonou is turning a regional crisis into a competitive breakthrough. A turning point for the Port of Cotonou Across much of West Africa, maritime logistics has become a punishing ordeal. Yet the Port of Cotonou (PAC) is choosing a different path. At the “PAC Média Connect” gathering in early October 2026, Charles Bennett Fayomi, Director…

Benin has crossed a decisive threshold in its engagement with West African judicial institutions. On 6 October 2026, in Abuja, Dr Désiré Henri Aihou was sworn in as a judge of the ECOWAS Court of Justice for a single four-year term that cannot be renewed. More than a routine appointment, this marks a turning point: community justice is now being called upon to anchor the rule of law, defend fundamental rights and rebuild confidence in regional institutions. That mission resonates deeply with Benin’s own democratic journey, which began with the…

Benin has crossed a decisive threshold in its engagement with West African judicial institutions. On 6 October 2026, in Abuja, Dr Désiré Henri Aihou was sworn in as a judge of the ECOWAS Court of Justice for a single four-year term that cannot be renewed. More than a routine appointment, this marks a turning point: community justice is now being called upon to anchor the rule of law, defend fundamental rights and rebuild confidence in regional institutions. That mission resonates deeply with Benin’s own democratic journey, which began with the…

By Aïcha Abdou — Journalist

At Assamaka, the desert outpost where Algeria and Niger meet, a decisive shift has just occurred. The two countries have officially switched on their trans-Saharan fiber optic link — a breakthrough that goes far beyond miles of cable and promises of high-speed internet. This is the moment when years of construction turn into a live digital corridor, reshaping access to international bandwidth, reducing digital dependence, and opening new revenue streams for operators. For Algiers, it is also a bold assertion of strategic influence south of its borders. Yet in a…