The Republic of Benin has formalised its Circular Economy Action Plan (CEAP), which aims to embed circularity at the heart of economic growth by strengthening national competitiveness, resilience and sustainable development. Launched on 5 February 2026, the plan is supported by the African Development Bank’s African Circular Economy Facility.

“The Action Plan is not only essential for environmental management, but also useful for an economic transition as envisaged in the national development strategy, Vision Benin 2060 Alafia,” said José Didier Tonato, Minister of the Living Environment and Sustainable Development. “Benin is already taking action, recycling 70 percent of the materials used to build old roads and reprocessing 90 percent of wastewater from textile factories in the Glo-Djigbe economic zone.”

The CEAP sets targets for 2035: 25 percent recycling, full urban waste collection and up to 60 percent in rural areas, training 15,000 citizens, and supporting 300 circular businesses, up from 19 currently.

“The African Development Bank stands with Benin to translate this plan into tangible results,” said Dr Al Hamndou Dorsouma, Head of the Bank’s Green Growth and Climate Change Division, noting the enthusiasm of young innovators he met during a visit to the Impact Hub Cotonou. The visit formed part of a mission by the steering committee of the African Circular Economy Fund, including representatives of the Government of Finland and the Nordic Development Fund, to assess the needs and the enthusiasm of local actors.

Local solutions already delivering results

Benin produces 50,000 tonnes of plastic annually, most of which is unrecycled, and about 1,700 tonnes of municipal waste daily, with direct consequences for health, the economy and urban planning. In addressing the challenge, several municipalities have adopted circularity and are already showing impact. In Avrankou, the use of filters from recycled biomass now allows 85 percent of households to access better-quality drinking water. In Nikki, cottonseed hulls that used to be burned now provide a source of biogas for hundreds of households. Bassila now converts its organic waste into fertiliser through local digesters, while in Abomey-Calavi, much of the waste from the market is converted into compost or biogas.

These varied but complementary initiatives testify to a structural change that directly improves people's daily lives while strengthening food security, access to water, employment and climate action.

With its Circular Economy Action Plan, Benin joins 22 other members of the African Circular Economy Alliance in promoting sustainable development that protects resources while generating economic and social opportunities.

Source: AfDB