Benin’s booming economy faces its biggest test as new president takes office after coup scare
Benin’s newly sworn-in president, Romauld Wadagni, has pledged to ensure the country’s strong economic growth translates into visible improvements in the daily lives of ordinary citizens, as the West African nation grapples with poverty, insecurity, and rising public expectations.
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![Newly elected Benin's President Romuald Wadagni wave at supporters as they attend a campaign rally in Lokossa on April 8, 2026. [Photo by OLYMPIA DE MAISMONT / AFP via Getty Images]](https://ocdn.eu/pulscms/MDA_/097e2cacbc34664fc16cdb64219a3144.jpg)
Benin’s newly sworn-in president, Romauld Wadagni, has pledged to ensure the country’s strong economic growth translates into visible improvements in the daily lives of ordinary citizens, as the West African nation grapples with poverty, insecurity, and rising public expectations.
- Benin’s new president, Romauld Wadagni, has promised to make economic growth more meaningful for ordinary citizens.
- The country recorded its strongest economic expansion in decades, with growth of 7.5% last year.
- Despite these gains, poverty and food insecurity remain widespread across the West African nation.
- Wadagni also takes office as Benin faces mounting jihadist threats and regional instability near its northern borders.
Wadagni, 49, took office on Sunday, May 24, 2026, after serving as finance minister under the previous administration, where he helped oversee one of Benin’s strongest economic performances in decades.
The country recorded economic growth of 7.5% last year, its highest level since 1990, according to government and IMF estimates. The International Monetary Fund expects the economy to expand by another 7% this year, while inflation is projected to remain close to 2%.
But despite the impressive figures, many citizens say the benefits of growth have yet to reach struggling households. More than a third of Benin’s population still lives below the poverty line, while food insecurity remains a major concern across parts of the country.
“National growth only makes sense when it becomes visible in people’s everyday lives,” Wadagni said during his inauguration speech, signalling a shift toward policies focused more directly on living standards and social impact.
The new president also assumes office at a delicate moment for Benin’s security environment.
The country, which borders junta-led Burkina Faso and Niger, has faced growing militant threats in its northern regions as jihadist violence spreads southward across the Sahel.
Tensions intensified earlier this year when 15 soldiers were killed in an attack on an army base, months after authorities said they had foiled a failed coup attempt.
Wadagni now faces the challenge of maintaining investor confidence while convincing citizens that Benin’s economic progress can deliver tangible change amid mounting regional instability.
