Key facts
Key facts for business in Benin
The short answer
Company registry in Benin: MonEntreprise.bj – guichet électronique de l'APIEx. Requirements, fees and timelines change – confirm them with the body concerned and a lawyer admitted in Benin before you act.
| Legal system | Civil law |
|---|---|
| Official languages | French |
| Currency | West African CFA franc (XOF) |
| Regional blocs | ECOWAS, UEMOA (WAEMU) |
| OHADA business law | Yes – the OHADA Uniform Acts apply |
| AfCFTA (continental free trade) | Not yet ratified (tralac, 7 Sep 2026) |
| New York Convention (arbitral awards) | Party – in force since 1974 |
| ICSID Convention (investment disputes) | Contracting state – in force since 1966 |
| Apostille Convention (public documents) | Not a party – documents usually need legalization |
Treaty status from the official depositary records (UNCITRAL, ICSID, HCCH), regional blocs from their own websites, AfCFTA from tralac – checked October 2026. Not legal advice.
Official bodies
Who does what in Benin
| What for | Official body | Website |
|---|---|---|
| Registering a company | MonEntreprise.bj – guichet électronique de l'APIEx – MonEntreprise.bj, APIEx's online one-stop shop for company formation | monentreprise.bj |
| Investment promotion | Agence de Promotion des Investissements et des Exportations (APIEx) – Investment and Export Promotion Agency | investbenin.bj |
| Central bank, currency and foreign exchange | Banque Centrale des Etats de l'Afrique de l'Ouest (BCEAO) – Central Bank of West African States | bceao.int |
| Courts and justice | Cour Suprême du Bénin – Supreme Court of Benin | coursupreme.bj |
We could not confirm an official website for: tax, work and residence permits. We only link to sites we could open and confirm as the body’s own in October 2026.
Each link was opened and checked as the body’s own website in October 2026. Links to official sites only – never to agents or look-alike sites.
Getting started
What foreign businesses usually sort out first
- Choose how you will operate. A subsidiary, a branch, a representative office, or working through a local partner or distributor. The options and their conditions are set by the OHADA Uniform Act on commercial companies and national rules.
- Register the business. Company registration: MonEntreprise.bj – guichet électronique de l'APIEx.
- Register for tax. Tax registration: the national tax administration.
- Check investment rules and incentives. Some sectors have licensing, local-ownership or registration rules, and some investors qualify for incentives. Investment agency: Agence de Promotion des Investissements et des Exportations (APIEx).
- Permits for foreign staff. Work and residence permits: the national immigration authority.
- Banking and foreign exchange. Rules on accounts, moving money in and out and paying dividends abroad come from the central bank (Banque Centrale des Etats de l'Afrique de l'Ouest (BCEAO)) and the banks.
- Contracts and disputes. Agree the governing law, the courts or arbitration seat, and the language. Benin is a party to the New York Convention, so arbitral awards made in other member states can be recognized there under it.
A general checklist, not legal advice. What applies to you depends on your sector, structure and nationality.
Law firms
Law firms in Benin for business matters
Cabinet d'avocats Mahoussi Amoussou
Cotonou
Cabinet d'Avocats Yabit
Cotonou
Hélène Paty Law Firm
Cotonou
S.A. Avocats Conseils
Cotonou
SCPA HK et Associés
Cotonou
5 firms in Benin list corporate, tax, employment or other business work on their own websites. See every firm in Benin.
Checking a lawyer in Benin
Who admits lawyers: Ordre des Avocats du Bénin (Barreau du Bénin)
Professional title: Avocat
Official roll: barreaudubenin.bj
Use the 'Avocats inscrits au barreau' section of the Barreau du Bénin website or contact the bar to confirm the lawyer is on the tableau.
We could not confirm every detail from official sources, so use this as a starting point.
Sources: barreaudubenin.bj. Checked October 2026. Not legal advice.
Questions
Doing business in Benin: questions
Where do you register a company in Benin?
With MonEntreprise.bj – guichet électronique de l'APIEx (monentreprise.bj). Requirements change, so confirm them with the registry and a lawyer admitted in Benin.
Is Benin a party to the New York Convention?
Yes – in force since 1974 (UNCITRAL status table, checked October 2026).
Does Benin accept apostilles?
Benin is not a party to the Apostille Convention (HCCH status table, checked October 2026), so foreign public documents usually need legalization – typically through the issuing country’s foreign ministry and Benin’s embassy or consulate. Confirm with the authority that will receive the document.
What currency is used in Benin?
West African CFA franc (XOF).