Port of Cotonou diversifies transit corridors amid regional shifts

The Port of Cotonou is diversifying its transit corridors in response to shifting political landscapes and diplomatic tensions in West Africa. While the port serves several landlocked nations, the historical Cotonou-Niamey corridor has been weakened by ongoing tensions between Benin and Niger following the regime change in Niamey in July 2023.

As a result, Burkina Faso has emerged as a primary destination for transit cargo, with nearly 1 million tons of goods, including hydrocarbons, routed through the port since 2025. Transit traffic accounted for 39.2% of total port traffic last year, with Burkina Faso representing 16% of that volume.

The port is also focusing on strengthening trade flows with Nigeria, which currently ranks as its second-largest market, and Chad. Efforts to expand the Chadian corridor are underway to provide N’Djamena with alternative maritime access to bypass traditional bottlenecks in Cameroon.