WASHINGTON, May 20, 2025 - The World Bank today approved $200 million in International Development Association (IDA) financing to help Benin improve urban mobility by developing a safe, reliable, and less polluting public transportation system in Grand-Nokoué.
The Grand Nokoué Sustainable Urban Mobility Project aims to transform transportation in five communes of Benin – Cotonou, Porto-Novo, Semè-Podji, Abomey-Calavi, and Ouidah – by developing a safe, inclusive, efficient, and climate-resilient multimodal urban transport system, with a focus on priority corridors. The project will develop a complete public transport network by bus and water, aiming to serve 270,000 people in its first phase and 360,000 daily passengers in the long term. It will support the professionalization of informal transport operators, particularly motorcycle taxis (known as zemidjan) and minibuses (known as Tokpa-Tokpa).
To meet the government's decarbonization objectives, the project will also promote low-emission modes of transport by promoting the use of electric motorcycles and enabling the introduction of electric buses and boats. The project will therefore support the e-motorcycle fleet renewal program and contribute to the development of a local e-mobility industry ecosystem in line with the government's job creation objectives.
"The rapid urbanization of the towns of Greater Nokoué poses real challenges to urban mobility and makes residents increasingly vulnerable to climate shocks and poverty. This financing will not only unlock the region's economic potential and improve productivity, but also strengthen social inclusion and environmental sustainability," said Nestor Coffi, World Bank Country Manager for Benin. "This transformative project offers opportunities in the e-mobility sector and boosts job creation through improved productivity and innovation."
The project will strengthen economic competitiveness and improve access to employment opportunities for the 2.8 million residents of Grand Nokoué. It will support the net creation of 17,000 jobs through fleet renewal and the development of the e-mobility ecosystem, 800 formal jobs in public transport services, and an additional 1,000 jobs during infrastructure construction. In addition, 65,000 Zemidjan operators will have access to better social protection and quality employment.
The project is aligned with the Grand Nokoué Urban Mobility Plan, completed by the government in December 2020. The plan sets out the path forward to achieve safe, efficient, and sustainable urban mobility, alongside adequate urban development, and proposes a shift from road infrastructure to a multimodal vision of public transport.
