Benin’s innovation ecosystem is still emerging, limited by weak coordination among public, private, and academic actors, inadequate infrastructure for engineering and tech education, scarce risk capital, and low technology adoption. The dominance of the informal economy and ongoing security challenges further constrain innovation and talent development.
Through MIT REAP, Benin aims to build a coordinated national innovation strategy anchored in 13 industrial and technology hubs. By aligning ministries, universities, investors, and entrepreneurs, the program will strengthen engineering capacity, boost high-tech entrepreneurship, and foster global partnerships—positioning Benin as a regional leader in agritech, security technology, and advanced manufacturing.
