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Youth

Digitalization Boom in Benin: Empowering Entrepreneurship

Strategic Insights

— 2 min read

In a remarkable turnaround, Benin's entrepreneurial landscape is witnessing a digitalization boom, with young people leveraging innovative tools to turn their business ideas into reality. With the help of the United Nations Conference on Trade and Development (UNCTAD), the country has implemented an e-government platform that has streamlined business registration, reduced bureaucracy, and enabled entrepreneurs to focus on growth. This has led to a staggering 212% increase in business registrations, with over 23,312 new businesses launched in the past three years alone.

Key Takeaways:

  • The number of young people opening new businesses in Benin skyrocketed from 7,416 registrations in 2019 to 23,312 in 2022, a growth of 212% thanks to the MonEntreprise.bj platform.
  • The platform, developed by UNCTAD, has saved entrepreneurs like Richard Odjrado nearly two years of research and development time, enabling him to launch his anti-theft solution company, AS World Tech, and export to 56 countries.
  • More women than ever are using the MonEnterprise platform to open companies, with the number of women-founded companies doubling from 8,936 in 2019 to 18,764 in 2022.
  • Women like Caludia Togbe have taken advantage of the digital business environment, formalizing their businesses and expanding their customer base to include countries like France and China.
  • The platform's impact extends beyond Benin, with similar digital business facilitation projects deployed in 10 other developing countries, including Argentina, Bhutan, Burundi, and Mali.
  • The company AS World Tech is about to build a new factory of 16,000 square meters in Benin, employing 218 people, and exporting to 56 countries.
  • Women represent 33% of the 56,579 new businesses opened in Benin in 2022, a testament to the empowering effect of the digital business environment.
  • The formalization of their businesses has helped change perceptions, with women entrepreneurs like Caludia Togbe now able to access new markets and customers.

Statistics:

  • The number of young people opening new businesses in Benin increased from 7,416 in 2019 to 23,312 in 2022, a growth of 212%.
  • The number of women-founded companies doubled from 8,936 in 2019 to 18,764 in 2022.
  • Women represent 33% of the 56,579 new businesses opened in Benin in 2022.
  • The MonEntreprise.bj platform was deployed in Benin in 2020 and has been used by 56,579 businesses.
  • The platform has also been used by 10 other developing countries, including Argentina, Bhutan, Burundi, and Mali.
  • AS World Tech exports to 56 countries, including France and China.
  • The company AS World Tech is about to build a new factory of 16,000 square meters in Benin, employing 218 people.

Sources:

  • United Nations Conference on Trade and Development (UNCTAD)
  • Agency for the Promotion of Investments and Exports (APIEx) in Benin
  • MonEntreprise.bj platform
  • AS World Tech
  • Origine Terre

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