In Benin, a special industrial zone is developing on a large scale. The first factories installed have already created about 2000 jobs more than a year after the start of their activities in this economic space located in Glo-Djigbé.
Out of five cashew nut processing units, two are running at full capacity. The two factories make a production which varies between 15,000 and 13,000 tons per year. The two companies employ 700 people.
Within the Special Industrial Zone of Glo-Djigbé (GDIZ), other factories make clothes up to 4 million pieces a year. 1,000 young Beninese work there every day, according to the Company for Investment and Promotion of Industry (SIPI-Benin).
The Director General of SIPI-Benin, Létondji Béhéton, assures that “to date, after having developed a first phase of 400 hectares, 36 investors” have signed with Benin. The latter will operate the special industrial zone of Glo-Djigbé.
In the lot, there are Beninese entrepreneurs. The Beninese Ulrich Adjovi, boss of the Empire group, known for its activities in the world of entertainment and events, establishes “a factory manufacturing plastic or wooden chairs and tables” in the GDIZ.
Like Ulrich Adjovi, other investors are soon starting their activities in this economic zone which aims to be an industrial hub for promoting “Made in Benin”.
Developed by the ARISE group in partnership with Benin, the Glo-Djigbé Economic Zone or Glo-Djigbé Special Industrial Zone covers an area of 1,640 ha in the town of Abomey-Calavi, 45 km from Cotonou.
The industrial hub should offer 300,000 jobs by 2030, according to the ambitions of the government in February 2021.
