Benin’s maritime security challenges in the Gulf of Guinea

This report by the Institute for Security Studies analyses the maritime security challenges facing Benin in the Gulf of Guinea, focusing on piracy, illegal fishing, and environmental degradation. It examines the resource disparities between Benin's navy and other maritime agencies, the economic impact of insecurity on the port of Cotonou, and the transition from temporary security measures to a sustainable national maritime strategy.

• Benin experienced a surge in piracy between 2011 and 2012, recording 21 cases of piracy during this period, which designated the country as a high-risk maritime country. While no acts of piracy have been reported off the coast since the end of 2012, the threat remains due to Benin's proximity to Nigeria and the illicit trade in low-quality fuel known as 'kpayo'.
• There is a significant disparity in human and material resources among Benin's maritime actors. The navy is well-equipped with over 1,000 officers, six patrol boats, and two maritime patrol planes. In contrast, the merchant marine suffers from a severe deficit, with only 16 officers, a result of structural adjustment policies in the early 1990s requested by the World Bank and the International Monetary Fund.
• The fisheries sector, which provides 600,000 direct and indirect jobs and represents about 2% of GDP, is threatened by illegal, unreported and unregulated (IUU) fishing. This includes foreign industrial ships trespassing in territorial waters and the use of prohibited equipment, such as small mesh fishing nets and 'twin trawling', which destroys marine flora and coastal nurseries.
• Benin faces severe environmental threats, including coastal erosion that has destroyed homes and hotels, and pollution from a phosphate treatment factory in Kpémé, Togo, which discharges warm polluted water into Beninese waters. Additionally, the country is at risk of accidental oil spills from the Dahomey Basin near Lagos State, though its 2006 national emergency response plan is not yet operational.
• Maritime insecurity had a direct negative economic impact on the port of Cotonou. Between 2010 and 2012, the port lost 172 ships, representing a 14% reduction in traffic and an average direct revenue loss of approximately 5.5 billion CFA francs (about US$11 million).
• Benin has implemented several cooperative security initiatives, including 'Operation Prosperity' with Nigeria, which involved joint maritime patrols and information sharing. It also participates in the French ASECMAR project and the EU-led CRIMGO project to strengthen regional cooperation and staff training.
• To ensure sustainable security, Benin adopted the 'National Strategy for Maritime Protection, Security and Safety' via decree number 2013-551 on 30 December 2013. This strategy establishes a national authority under the presidency, led by a maritime prefect with the rank of minister, to coordinate state action at sea across various administrations including the navy, customs, and police.

APA

Blédé, B., Ouédraogo, F., & Diallo, O. A. (2015). Benin’s maritime security challenges in the Gulf of Guinea. Institute for Security Studies. https://issafrica.s3.amazonaws.com/site/uploads/ECOWAS12.pdf

Chicago

Blédé, Barthelemy, Fatimata Ouédraogo, and Ousmane Aly Diallo. Benin’s maritime security challenges in the Gulf of Guinea. Institute for Security Studies, 2015. https://issafrica.s3.amazonaws.com/site/uploads/ECOWAS12.pdf.

Wikipedia

{{cite report |last1=Blédé |first1=Barthelemy |last2=Ouédraogo |first2=Fatimata |last3=Diallo |first3=Ousmane Aly |title=Benin’s maritime security challenges in the Gulf of Guinea |publisher=Institute for Security Studies |date=May 2015 |url=https://issafrica.s3.amazonaws.com/site/uploads/ECOWAS12.pdf |access-date=17 August 2026 |via=Climate Insights Directory}}

BibTeX

@techreport{bld2015benins, author = {Blédé, Barthelemy and Ouédraogo, Fatimata and Diallo, Ousmane Aly}, title = {{Benin’s maritime security challenges in the Gulf of Guinea}}, institution = {Institute for Security Studies}, year = {2015}, month = may, url = {https://issafrica.s3.amazonaws.com/site/uploads/ECOWAS12.pdf}, urldate = {2026-08-17}, note = {Indexed by Climate Insights Directory} }