Benin Sustainable Development Report 2025

The 2025 edition of the report highlights seven key findings:

1. The green transition — a priority for the Government of Benin: This commitment is evident in the Action Program 2021–2026 (PAG II) and is also reflected in the allocation of SDG Eurobond resources to promote sustainable agriculture (€18.36 million or 3.8 percent of the total allocation) and improve access to low-carbon energy (€29.3 million or 6.0 percent of the total allocation), as well as in the implementation in 2024 of a pilot mitigation and adaptation program combining renewable energy deployment with sustainable land management (MEF, 2024). The launch of a national green financing framework in September 2025 further consolidates this momentum and underscores the Government of Benin’s determination to integrate climate action and environmental preservation into all areas of its development policy.

2. Benin is halfway toward achieving the SDGs: Drawing on the SDG Index and Dashboard (Section 1.1), the report shows that Benin is halfway toward achieving the 17 SDGs, with a score of 55.5 out of 100, above the West African average (52.6 out of 100). Between 2015 and 2024, Benin has recorded one of the strongest SDG progresses in the region. The analysis of the SDG Index highlights areas of strong performance of Benin compared to the region—poverty reduction (SDG 1), education (SDG 4), decent work (SDG 8), and institutional effectiveness (SDG 16)—while also revealing persistent gaps, particularly in clean energy (SDG 7) and terrestrial ecosystems (SDG 15).

3. Rapid progress on socio-economic SDGs: At current rates of progress, Benin is likely to meet several key SDGs by 2030. The country is on track to achieve SDGs 1, 8, 10 (Reduced Inequalities), and 13 (Climate Action), and moderate progress is seen on SDGs 5 (Gender Equality), 6 (Clean Water and Sanitation), 7 (Affordable and Clean Energy), and 12 (Responsible Consumption and Production). Overall, nearly 30 percent of the SDG targets measured in this report are on track to be achieved in Benin by 2030, compared to an average of around 18 percent in the West Africa region. However, the declining trend on SDG 4 (Quality Education), driven mainly by the decline in the net primary school enrollment rate and the lower completion rate of the first cycle of secondary education, warrant close attention.

4. Persistent challenges remain regarding the promotion of agriculture that is both sustainable and productive, as well as the reduction of CO₂ emissions and the protection of biodiversity: The report’s expanded focus on SDG indicators related to green transition for agriculture and energy (Section 1.2) reveals important structural challenges. Benin’s agricultural productivity lags behind the regional average, underscoring the need to leverage ongoing efforts to boost the agricultural sector, including the increase of fertilizers’ use, while prioritizing inputs that comply with principles of agroecology. Meanwhile, Benin performs well in sustainable nitrogen management (SDG 12), although maintaining this lead will require careful oversight as the economy expands. Electricity access (SDG 7) has improved significantly, yet clean cooking solutions and renewable energy development remain insufficient. Moreover, although per capita CO₂ emissions are low (SDG 13), the carbon intensity of electricity production and the persistence of PM2.5 air pollution (SDG 11—Sustainable Cities and Communities) are areas of concern. Biodiversity protection also shows mixed results: while forest conservation (SDG 15) is comparatively strong, marine and freshwater ecosystems (SDGs 14 and 15) remain insufficiently safeguarded. At this stage, the report does not include indicators related to Benin’s adaptation to the impacts of climate change, a major issue for the country and an integral component of SDG 13. The inclusion of such indicators is among the priorities identified for future editions of the report.

5. Areas for improvement to strengthen the investment framework and public action on sustainable development: This year’s edition introduces SDG transformations dashboards for Transformations 3 (Energy Decarbonization and Sustainable Industry) and 4 (Sustainable Food Systems, Land, Water, and Oceans)—aligned with the “Six Transformations” framework (Sachs et al., 2019)—that examine policies, regulations, and investments shaping the green transition (Section 2.2). The dashboards underscore the absence of a carbon-neutrality target, the persistence of fossil-fuel subsidies, and the limited progress in energy efficiency, all of which hinder a more rapid shift to renewable energy. They also highlight the need for substantial investment in agricultural research, integrated water management, and agroecological scaling. Biodiversity protection, particularly in marine and freshwater areas, requires urgent strengthening to match the ambitions of the national transition strategy. Overall, while the existing policies signal a firm commitment to the green transition, additional measures are necessary for Benin to align with leading practices at the regional and international levels in climate, energy, and biodiversity.

6. Notable efforts from all actors to advance agroecological practices: A distinctive feature of this edition is the inclusion of in-depth case studies on agroecology and renewable energy (Parts 3 and 4), which illustrate how diverse stakeholders—public institutions, private actors, civil society, and international partners—are driving transformative change on the ground. Agroecological practices, long present in Benin, gained institutional traction with the gradual integration of initiatives promoting organic farming and agricultural diversification within the Government Action Programs (PAG). Today, the Government is expanding these efforts, investing in projects aligned with agroecological principles and supporting actors that champion sustainable farming models. In the renewable energy sector, the Government has reinforced institutional frameworks and introduced incentives to stimulate investment, while also implementing numerous programs and projects aimed at expanding electricity access through clean energy solutions.

7. To consolidate Benin’s progress, the report emphasizes the importance of continuing to act along three mutually reinforcing pillars: providing technical, material, and financial support to scale agroecology and renewable energies; strengthening regulatory and institutional frameworks while raising awareness among economic actors and citizens; and investing in human capital, research, and innovation to ensure long-term ownership and sustainability of green transition initiatives. After the convening of COP30 in November 2025, this year’s edition underscores the strong commitment of the Government of Benin to advancing the SDGs and deepening the green transition, despite the persistent challenges that remain to be addressed to reach these objectives. Building on the establishment of its green financing framework, this a key moment for Benin to reaffirm its priorities, set new ambitious targets, and mobilize domestic and international technical and financial partners to accelerate the implementation of its green transition and its progress toward the SDGs. Beyond this statistical report and the case studies presented in it, SDSN is also collaborating with Beninese authorities and the national scientific community to develop quantified pathways for the sustainable management of soils and agricultural systems, based on the FABLE model. The results of this work are expected in the first half of 2026.