Benin’s 2025 Budget Management Bill: A Focus on Social Sensitivity and Economic Growth

The Beninese government has submitted the 2025 budget management bill to the National Assembly, with a total of over 3,550 billion CFA francs, representing a 11% increase compared to the previous year.

The draft state budget for 2025 aims to reduce gender-related inequalities, preserve the planet against the effects of climate change, promote employment, and deconsolidation. The government has emphasized its commitment to strengthening the resilience of the economy and redistributing the fruits of economic growth for greater equity and social justice.

Key Highlights of the 2025 Budget

The proposed state budget for 2025 stands at 3,551.005 billion FCFA, with several elements contributing to the 11% increase, including:

• Preparation for the 2026 general elections
• Completion, commissioning, and operation of several socio-economic infrastructures, such as the ministerial city, departmental administrative cities, and reference health structures
• Progress of social security net projects, including the GBESSOKE project and the Alafia microcredit
• Expansion of the school feeding project to 100% in rural areas
• Piloting the 1000 day nutritional supplement project
• Commissioning of multi-village drinking water supply systems and their connection to homes
• Extension of the electrical energy distribution network and acquisition of meters at a lower cost

Social Sensitivity: A Key Priority

The draft budget reflects the government’s commitment to social sensitivity, with socially sensitive expenditures amounting to 1,101.71 billion FCFA in 2025, representing 41.5% of the general budget.

The government has also emphasized its commitment to ensuring good stability and predictability of tax standards for private operators and investors, with no new taxes and no increase in the rates of existing taxes under the new tax and customs measures.

Economic Growth and Diversification

The government is betting on a growth rate of 6.8% linked to the expected performance in the agricultural sector and the expansion of the industrial fabric, ports, and tourism sector. The government is also relying on continuous actions to diversify productive sectors, transform and create value.

The bill passed to the Assembly must still be examined during the budget session before being put to a vote by deputies.