Benin has been an agricultural-led industry for a long time, with the main export products being cotton, coffee, palm oil and cocoa. The country continues to invest further to diversify its economy, bridge the poverty gap and increase FDI with various initiatives to redefine the business environment. If your company is planning a move to Benin and unaware of the local regulations, you may be faced with legislative, cultural, and employment law challenges, which may be time-consuming to address appropriately and compliantly.
Most international firms who enter new regions initially engage the services of experienced partners for the purposes of outsourcing business processes, including employment outsourcing solutions where there is a requirement to employ and payroll staff in-country. At Africa HR Solutions, our in-country experts are here to help you with all the Benin outsourcing support you may need to add value to your organisation’s operations and strategic growth objectives.
We provide bespoke HR outsourcing solutions that include services such as Professional Employer Organisation (PEO), Employer of Record, a comprehensive payroll outsourcing solution as well as relevant ancillary support services to help you expand your business in Benin, whether or not your organisation has set up a subsidiary or legal entity in-country.
Population: 12,451,031
Gross Domestic Product (GDP): $17.79 B
GDP Growth: 6.6%
Inflation: 1.7%
Foreign Direct Investment (% of GDP): 1.1%
Unemployment Rate: 1.6 %
Capital: Porto-Novo
Currency: West African CFA franc
Languages: French, English
Considered a stable economy, Benin was ranked 149th out of 190 countries in the World Bank’s Ease of Doing Business 2020 report. Like most African economies, the country faced a few setbacks due to the COVID-19 pandemic, but recorded growth in the agricultural sector thanks to the significant amount of cotton production. The performance of several other sectors, such as industry and services, also contributed to the economy’s growth, underpinned by the rise in locally generated electricity following the launch of a new power station. Consumer spending and investments remain fundamental drivers of Benin’s economic activities. As the country paves the way for more growth and in order to bridge the poverty gap, there are initiatives being established to generate economic diversification, greater public spending and a fairer distribution of geographical resources.
The government’s offices are located in Cotonou, the country’s largest city, which is considered as the economic business centre primarily as it has the country’s only seaport and international airport.
The people of Benin are referred to as Beninese.
Cotton remains Benin’s main export product, but the country’s economic activity is also dependent on agriculture and regional trade.
Soccer is the most popular sport in Benin.
Despite facing poverty, Benin is considered one of the most politically stable countries in West Africa.
The country’s national dish is ‘kuli-kuli’, which consists of ground, smashed peanuts deep-fried in the shape of balls.
New Year’s Day
Vodoun
Easter Monday
Labour Day
Ascension Thursday
Pentecost Monday
Independence Day
Assumption
Armed Forces Day
All Saints’ Day
Christmas
The Benin economy is primarily agricultural led and dependent on subsistence farming. In 2017, the country’s total exports amounted to $695.6 million. Benin’s main import partners are the UAE, Brazil, China, Germany, Spain, France, India, Malaysia, Netherlands, Togo, and Thailand. Investment in the electricity sector to serve immediate energy needs, modernisation of the economy and increased trading with African countries are being planned. The country is targeting a universal healthcare system, but currently operates a public/private system.
Employees in Benin are entitled to vacation, sick and parental leave. From a termination perspective, they are generally entitled to a notice period of 1 month, except for executives where a 3 months’ notice provision applies. From a taxation perspective, employees dedicate 3.6% of their wages to social security, while employers contribute the following:
Social security: 15.4% of gross salary
Pension: 6.4%
Family allowance: 9%
Industrial injury: 1% to 4%
When recruiting locals or hiring expatriates in Benin, navigating the country’s labour laws and devising the right employee package can be complex due to the various legislative requirements, customary procedures and market practices. Engaging a specialist firm such as Africa HR Solutions, who have an in-depth understanding of Benin’s regulations and best practices across a variety of industries, will provide you with peace of mind that a competitive and relevant employee benefit scheme will be offered to your in-country resources.
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Kevina Takoordyal has a BA Hons Business Management from the University of Glamorgan, UK, with MBA in leadership and Innovation, MBA General, PMP Certified, and Agile Scrum Master. She currently works as the Head of Operations at Africa HR Solutions Ltd with more than 20 years of proven leadership capabilities in Operations, Business Development, People Management, Process Optimization, and Project Management in the Financial Services, BPO, Banking Industry, and Heath Care Industry. In Senior leadership roles with an international footprint across Europe working and extensive Pan- African experience from a compliance, finance, and operations angle, Kevina comes across with a panoply of cross-functional skills. Kevina also serves on a few Boards, Non-Independent Executive at MioD and for NGOs on a voluntary basis, a coach and mentor to aspiring female leaders across Africa and Mauritius.
Kevina is a firm believer in Servant Leadership with a strong focus and commitment to uplifting others, with the ability to deliver through a highly engaged – diverse team, and works towards consistently synergistic value creation. While being a focused and adaptive thinker and Kevina is actively participating in panel discussions on Innovation, CX, Digital transformation.
Kevina serves as Project Assessor for the National Youth upskilling program. She has been recognized as Global Talent in a few companies, Ceridian, and International SOS Ltd whereby she has been awarded a few scholarships and had the opportunity to be mentored by Senior Vice President in the US. Award Winner in various fields and at a national level and recognized including Super Achiever Leader Award in Africa in 2016, Awarded Africa Women Leader 2018.
A qualified lawyer who joined Africa HR Solutions in July 2020, Mark Du Preez has experience working in private practice for a reputable law firm in South Africa. He also played commercially focused roles at a leading private bank, wealth management company, and outsourcing firm in South Africa and Mauritius.
Mark has played a pivotal role in Africa HR Solution’s risk mitigation strategy, which positively impacted P&L performance over the years.
He currently leads the Partnerships function of the company including relationships and oversight with in-country partners (ICPs) across Africa.
Alex has more than 15 years of experience in the global, strategic development of both enterprise and consumer brands in categories including technology, transport, enterprise software, entertainment, and travel.
With experience in roles on both agency and corporate side, he has worked across international brands and has led the development and execution of multi-discipline campaigns across EMEA, NORAM and Asia Pacific.
His focus is on driving meaningful business impact through brand differentiation and building high-functioning, digitally oriented, and analytically driven capabilities. He is motivated by working with, and developing dynamic people, teams, and organizations.
He leads, manages, develops and mentors the Key Account Management department, including line management responsibility for the team of Key Account Managers and Key Account Administrator who represent the Company as the primary communication link between all relevant stakeholders, including clients, third party in-country partners and internal functions.
Originally from Mauritius, he holds bachelor’s degrees in International Business, Finance and Management from the University of Nevada, Reno.