Benin’s Port of Cotonou Turns to Burkina Faso After 52% Cargo Jump

Benin's Port of Cotonou is increasingly serving as a transit market for goods destined for Burkina Faso after a 52% jump in cargo handled by the port, according to figures released by the country's finance ministry. Nearly 1 million tonnes of goods, primarily petroleum products, have been moving through Cotonou to its landlocked neighbour since 2025, the Beninese newspaper Le Matinal reported.

The closure of the land border between Benin and Niger, which had been open until July 30, 2023, has led to this shift. Niger now exports crude oil through Sémé-Podji, near Cotonou, while using Benin's coast for crude imports. The port's commercial director, Kevin Potier, revealed that 39.2% of the traffic was in transit, with 16% going to Burkina Faso.

The ministry attributes the export surge to Niger's crude oil, which began loading in May 2024 and continued through 2025, and to the output from the Glo-Djigbè special economic zone, as well as Niger's crude. Benin's proximity to Nigeria, the second-biggest market the port serves, and congestion at several Nigerian ports are also contributing factors.

The port also serves Chad, but to a lesser extent, and is pursuing a larger share of this trade. The closure of the land border has impacted customs revenue, with Benin's finance ministry listing it as one of the obstacles holding back revenue collection in the first half of 2026. The port's growth now depends on multiple neighbours, with Benin's Millennium Challenge Corporation investing $202 million in road projects to facilitate this trade.