Benin builds 160-hectare wholesale market at Akassato for 2027 opening
The Akassato facility, north of Cotonou, will hold food products, warehouses and cold storage, with French market expertise guiding its design.
Benin is preparing a wholesale market covering nearly 160 hectares at Akassato, north of Cotonou. The site is set to host food products, warehouses and refrigerated facilities, with opening planned for early 2027.
The government wants the market to move produce from farm to plate in a few days, with more consistent quality thanks to better packaging. Benin drew on expertise from Rungis, the international wholesale market near Paris. Éric Akouté, director general of the Agence de promotion des investissements et des exportations du Bénin (APIEx), said the infrastructure is already in place and operators are now being recruited.
The opening will be accompanied by 35 retail markets, urban and rural, to connect production, distribution and sales points across the country. Akouté said officials are working on rules, operating procedures and management models, and holding meetings to avoid repeating past mistakes.
Why it mattersFarmers and traders will sell through the new Akassato wholesale market and 35 retail markets once they open, and operators are being recruited now.