Economic growth and democratic decline: the ‘cotton king’ who reshaped Benin

Patrice Talon has transformed the west African country’s economy and infrastructure at the expense of political freedom

In recent years, a building boom has reshaped Benin’s largest city, Cotonou, and a shiny new coastal road has reduced journey times to Ouidah, the west African country’s spiritual and cultural capital.

In the last decade, Benin’s annual GDP has grown from 3% to 6%, a regional high, and an industrial zone has been launched north-west of Cotonou to help industrialise the relatively small nation’s largely informal economy.