The Digital Entrepreneurship component of Benin's Digital Transformation Centre (CTD) came to an end on 29 February, after 30 months of close collaboration with the Ministry of Digital Affairs and Digitalisation (MND) and with Benin's digital, entrepreneurial and innovation ecosystem. Funded by German cooperation through GIZ, the component helped to strengthen Beninese digital entrepreneurship, improve the management of local start-ups and raise women entrepreneurs' awareness of opportunities in the digital sector.
At the project's closing workshop on 26 February 2024, the Deputy Chief of Staff of the Minister of Digital Affairs and Digitalisation, Mr Djabirou AMADOU, welcomed the quality of the support, highlighting the relevance of the interventions and of the approach. He also commended the concrete impact of the support and the progress made on the Digital Observatory, a government reform supported by the component.
The head of the CTD, Mr Falk NEGRAZUS, recalled that the closure of the component did not mean the closure of the CTD, highlighting the Beninnovation project for the digitisation of public services, which will continue its activities until 2026.
The results of the component include:
1,500 people and 70 businesses in the local digital economy strengthened their competitiveness through some fifty in-person activities with 50 national and international partners.
400 women entrepreneurs were reached through four interventions focusing on women and gender.
30 digital start-ups or related organisations received at least one grant to take part in a flagship event in the sector.
20 Beninese digital start-ups took part in the offline capacity-building programmes.
100 entrepreneurs and people interested in the digital sector based outside Cotonou/Calavi took part in activities organised exclusively for them in their towns.
Although the project has ended, some key products remain available on the website of the Ministry of Digital Affairs and Digitalisation, including the study “Overview of the digital ecosystem and digital entrepreneurship in Benin” and the Digital Entrepreneur's Guide.