In July 2023, Jutta Urpilainen, the EU Commissioner for International Partnerships, stood in Cotonou to announce a massive €63.8 million budget support package. Simultaneously, the U.S. Congressional Research Service designated Benin an “emergent security partner,” while Chinese engineers finalized the Niger-Benin Oil Pipeline.
By December 7, 2025, the world’s attention snapped back to Cotonou as gunfire echoed near the presidential palace. A coup attempt led by Lieutenant Colonel Pascal Tigri sought to topple President Patrice Talon. It failed, but the immediate, coordinated response from Washington, Paris, Brussels, Beijing, and Abuja revealed a high-stakes truth: Benin has become the most strategic “choke point” in West Africa.
1. The Gateway: Why the Map Matters
Benin is a thin strip of land, roughly the size of Pennsylvania, yet it functions as the “economic lungs” for its neighbors.
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Nigeria’s Backdoor: Much of Nigeria’s informal trade flows through the Port of Cotonou. Importers often prefer Cotonou over Lagos to avoid crushing congestion and high customs fees.
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The Landlocked Lifeline: For Niger and Burkina Faso, Benin is the shortest route to the Atlantic. Without Benin, these nations are effectively severed from global trade.
2. The Energy Choke Point: The China-Niger Connection
The geopolitical value of Benin shifted fundamentally in May 2024 when the Niger-Benin Oil Pipeline went live.
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The Specs: A 1,200-mile (1,950 km) steel artery, Chinese-funded and built by the China National Petroleum Corporation (CNPC).
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The Capacity: It carries roughly 90,000 to 110,000 barrels of oil per day from Niger’s Agadem rift basin to the Beninese coast at Sèmè-Kraké.
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The Leverage: Niger is landlocked and has moved toward Russia and China after expelling Western forces in 2023. However, Benin holds the “exit valve.” This gives the Beninese government—and by extension, its partners—direct influence over the revenue of the Nigerien junta.
3. The Security Firewall: Holding the Line
Since 2020, West Africa has been rocked by six successful coups (Mali, Guinea, Burkina Faso, Niger, and Gabon). Benin now stands as the “Last Firewall” against the southward spread of jihadist violence.
The Threat
Groups like Jama’at Nusrat al-Islam wal-Muslimin (JNIM) are pushing south from the Sahel. If Benin falls, the instability reaches the Gulf of Guinea, threatening one of the world’s most critical maritime shipping lanes.
The Western Response
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United States: Embedded Special Forces trainers with Beninese units as early as 2019. In 2024-2025, the U.S. ramped up “over-the-horizon” capabilities after losing its drone bases in Niger.
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European Union: Through the European Peace Facility (EPF), the EU provided €35 million in 2024 alone, supplying radar systems, surveillance drones, and even a multi-purpose military aircraft.
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France: Provided helicopters and intelligence to help Benin’s army monitor its northern borders with Burkina Faso.
4. The Rivalry: China vs. The West
While the West provides “security,” China provides “structure.”
| Power | Strategy | Primary Asset |
| China | “Infrastructure for Influence” | Niger-Benin Pipeline, Cotonou Port expansion, $536M+ in loans. |
| USA/EU | “Security Partnership” | European Peace Facility, Green Beret training, and Global Fragility Act focus. |
| Russia | “Opportunistic Presence” | Using Vagner/Africa Corps’ presence in neighboring Niger to pressure Benin’s borders. |
5. The “Devil You Know”: President Patrice Talon
The December 2025 coup attempt failed because the “Republican Guard” remained loyal, but the underlying tensions are high.
President Patrice Talon, a former “Cotton King,” has presided over what analysts call “Creeping Authoritarianism.”
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Political Exclusion: Since 2019, electoral laws have been rewritten to effectively ban opposition parties.
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Democratic Backsliding: Once a “model democracy,” Benin’s Freedom House score dropped from 82/100 in 2017 to 59 by 2024.
The Paradox: Global powers condemn the coup not necessarily to save democracy, but to save stability. A predictable autocrat like Talon is seen as a safer bet than a military junta that might align with Russia or disrupt the oil flow.
Summary: Geography is Destiny
The world powers are not fighting for Benin’s 15 million people; they are fighting for the 75 miles of coastline that connect the volatile Sahel to the global economy. Benin is the valve, the gateway, and the firewall. In the high-stakes game of 21st-century geopolitics, control of the choke point is everything.