Benin Frontier

Economy & industry overview

Benin is a lower-middle-income economy in West Africa whose growth has accelerated in recent years, reaching 7.5% in 2024 driven by construction, information technology, and manufacturing. Agriculture (particularly cotton, cashews, palm products, and shea butter) remains a cornerstone of the economy and a primary source of export revenue. The services sector, including trade and transit commerce with neighbouring Nigeria, accounts for over half of GDP. Inflation was low at 1.2% in 2024, aided by stabilising fuel prices and tightened BCEAO monetary policy. Benin's capital markets are nascent but expanding, with three domestic companies now listed on the regional BRVM exchange following IPOs by the National Lottery (LNB) in late 2024 and Banque Internationale pour l'Industrie et le Commerce (BIIC) in 2025.

Key sectors

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Macro

GDP nominal, USD	$21.50B
GDP growth real, annual	7.5%
Inflation annual	1.2%
Population people	13.8M
GDP per capita USD	$1,563
Market cap total listed, USD	$650.00M
Market cap / GDP	3.0%
Unemployment	1.0%
Listed companies	3
Exchange	Bourse Régionale des Valeurs Mobilières (BRVM)

Data year: 2024. Sources: African Development Bank – Benin Economic Outlook (2025), IMF World Economic Outlook (April 2026), World Bank National Accounts Data, BRVM – Bourse Régionale des Valeurs Mobilières (brvm.org), African Markets (african-markets.com), Daba Finance – Benin IPO Market Analysis (January 2025), AFX/Kwayisi BRVM Market Data, GoldenVisas.com – Benin (2025), Wikipedia – Economy of Benin, BOAD – BRVM Glossary.

Local exchange & access

Exchange	Bourse Régionale des Valeurs Mobilières
Code	BRVM
Website	www.brvm.org
Currency	XOF

Local broker access

Beninese-domiciled equities trade on the regional BRVM exchange, accessible via BRVM-licensed Sociétés de Gestion et d'Intermédiation (SGI) brokerage firms operating in Benin and across the WAEMU zone. International investors can access BRVM-listed stocks through select African-focused online brokers and platforms such as Daba Finance, which provide direct BRVM market access. No direct US brokerage access to BRVM equities exists; transactions typically require an account with a licensed SGI member.

Global brokers with foreign-market access

• Interactive Brokers — Direct access to 90+ markets worldwide, including many emerging exchanges.
• Saxo Bank — Multi-market access across Asia, Europe and the Middle East.
• Charles Schwab (Global) — Foreign ordinary shares on select markets; US-listed ADRs and ETFs.
• Fidelity International Trading — International stock trading on a number of developed and emerging markets.

Listed for convenience only. Not a recommendation. Available markets, fees and onboarding rules differ by broker and by your country of residence.

Relocation & residency

Foreign-investor access

Benin issues long-stay visas and renewable residence cards (carte de séjour) through standard immigration processes. The country has positioned itself as a pan-African hub for diaspora reconnection under its 'Benin Revealed' tourism initiative. No formalised investment-threshold pathway to residency exists as of 2025.