Not all African countries are thesame. In a continent relent-lessly scourged by armed

struggles for power, Benin stands out asone of the strongest examples of democra-cy in action. Entering the 20th Century as aFrench colony, Benin moved through self-government to independence within 60 years,held its first presidential and legislative elec-tions in the early 1990s, and was the firstAfrican country to successfully make thetransition from dictatorship to a multi-partypolitical system.

Benin maintained a good economic per-formance through the early part of this decadebut this weakened markedly after 2002, withgrowth slowing to about 3 percent in 2004.A year later, the rate was still only 3.9 per-

cent. Allegations of corruption and mis-management were rife across the board andpoverty levels had reached an all-time high.

Thomas Boni Yayi’s landslide victory atthe most recent presidential elections, heldin March 2006, introduced the seeds ofchange. Dr Boni Yayi, armed with twelveyears of experience as the director of theWest African Development Bank, has vowedto bring about economic growth and eradi-cate corruption.

“Poverty is not a problem but the conse-quence of a problem: bad governance,” hestates. By focusing on the implementationof wealth-creating systems, such as encour-aging private enterprises by improving infra-structures and maximising human resourcesby fostering education and health, the new

administration hopes to create a better, moreefficient and powerful Benin. As one of thefirst steps towards this, in November 2006the president announced new funding toprovide free primary education.

But it is thanks to Benin’s excellent recordin democracy, respect for basic human rights,and commitment to economic improvementthat it has become eligible for funds fromthe U.S. government’s Millenium ChallengeAccount (MCA).

U.S. Ambassador to Benin GayleathaBrown has highlighted the strong ties offriendship and economic cooperationbetween the two countries since the demo-cratic transition, and has praised PresidentBoni Yayi’s efforts to eliminate corruption andimprove governance. “Benin’s consultativeprocess is a model for other MCA candidatecountries,” says the ambassador.

Access to this funding, totalling $307 mil-lion, is going to be spent on four separateareas over five years, all geared towardsimproving the general economic and socialclimate. The Access to Land program aimsto regulate land claims; the Access toFinancial Services is expected to expandsuch services to micro, small and mediumenterprises, particularly in agricultural areas;

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�LOCATION: Western Africa, bordering the Gulf ofGuinea, between Nigeria and Togo�POPULATION: 8,078,314 (July 2007 est.)�CLIMATE: tropical; hot, humid in south;semiarid in north�GDP (purchasing power parity):$8.931 billion (2006 est.) �INFLATION RATE (consumerprices): 3% (2006 est.)�INDUSTRIES: textiles, food processing,construction materials, cement�GDP (real growth rate): 4% (2006 est.) Continued on page 2

This supplement has been produced and sponsored by Summit Communications. It did not involve the reporting or editing staff of The New York Times.

It is karmic that a historical hotbed of theslave trade is today one of Africa’s most secureand peaceful democracies. Economic growthis now top of the agenda for Benin’s people

Benin’sPresident BoniYayi withGeorge Bush.Relationsbetween the twocountries arestrong, withbilateraleconomicagreementsand sharedregional goals.

LEADING THE MARCH TOWARDSA STABLE, PROSPEROUS REGION

Benin AS

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CIA

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BENIN nytmag.qxd 24/5/07 17:42 Página 1

and the Access toJustice program willundertake thoroughreforms of the judi-cial and court sys-tems. The Ministryof Justice is con-currently embarkingon a national censusoperation. “It’s aboutmodernizing theState,” says formerMinister of JusticeA b r a h a m

Zinzindohoue. “We cannot have a trust-worthy administration if we do not know whoour citizens are.”

The bulk of the grant, however, is goingtowards improving the competitiveness ofthe Port of Cotonou, under the Access toMarkets section. According to Simon-PierreAdovelande, National Coordinator for theMCA, the funding will initially pay for a portexpert to run all management procedures,the computerization of customs procedures,and the building of new infrastructures bothon land and at sea, in particular two newquays to reduce waiting times for cargo

Benin / 2 SPECIAL ADVERTISING SECTION

Its location on the southwest cusp of western Africa makes Benin a vital component in the transport of goods across the sub-region and beyond,

making Port of Cotonou Benin's premier transhipment point.By providing a free trade zone for its landlocked neighbours, Burkina Faso

and Niger, Port of Cotonou is further strengthening ties between nations and promoting the economic growth of Benin and the sub-region.

www.portdecotonou.com

The Washington, D.C. basedCorporate Council on Africa(CCA) is dedicated to strength-

ening trade and investment partnerships betweenthe United States and the 53 countries of Africa. CCAprograms and events are designed to bring togeth-er potential business partners and to showcase busi-ness opportunities on the Continent.

Once every two years CCA convenes the U.S.-AfricaBusiness Summit, the premier gathering of business andgovernment leaders from the United States and Africa.We invite you to join us from November 14-16, 2007in Cape Town, South Africa for the biennial U.S.-AfricaBusiness Summit, our first summit on African soil.

The summit will be a three-day event at the CapeTown Convention Center packed with networkingopportunities, as well as sector-specific plenary ses-sions and workshops such as finance, energy, ICT,mining, agribusiness, and the sports and entertain-ment industry. A new feature at the 2007 Summitwill be a trade show that will allow companies toshowcase their products, services, and capabilitiesto potential buyers and customers throughout Africa.

Increased trade and investment between UnitedStates and African businesses is the goal of CCA.This year’s Summit will enable you to explore manybusiness partnerships in Africa. We hope to see youin Cape Town.

LETTER FROM STEPHEN HAYES, PRESIDENT OF THE CCA

STEPHEN HAYESPresident of the CCA

What is the new governmentbringing to the economic devel-opment of Benin?

Benin’s political developmentfrom 1990 onwards did not pro-duce lasting results because eco-nomic growth was relativelyweak. In order to reduce povertyby half over a fifteen-year period,a minimum growth rate of sevenpercent is required; Benin’s fellshort at four to five percent. Sothere is a need for a new, dynam-ic economic force to consolidatethe country’s democracy defini-tively. This is the President’s inten-tion, and this is what we are proceeding toimplement through newly defined strategicdevelopment guidelines.

What are the main areas selected for devel-opment in order to maintain economicgrowth?

Our strategic development guidelines canbe divided into five pillars: good public admin-istration and the development of the privatesector; stabilization of the macro-economic

framework; economic diversifi-cation; rural development; andfinally, social development: health,education and social structures.For this we need funding; how-ever, we have reached into ourown pockets before asking forforeign support.

What aspects of Benin’s econ-omy are most likely to attractforeign companies to the coun-try, and how do you intend toattract such investment?

Benin is an important connec-tion point between West and

Central Africa. Nigeria, with a population of130 million, is our neighbor; this is a privilegedposition for us in terms of economic aspects.This is where the port and telecommunica-tions should be playing major roles, so theseare two areas targeted for reform and invest-ment. Obviously, we need to accompany suchimprovements with similar development inroad, maritime and rail infrastructures. Thesewill in turn benefit other sectors, particularlytourism and agriculture. ■

PASCAL IRÉNÉEKOUPAKIMinister ofDevelopment,Economy andFinance

ships. The MCA program is not the only proof

of the strong links between Benin and theU.S. The U.S. Agency for InternationalDevelopment (USAID) finances various pro-grams in Benin, primarily in health and edu-cation but also targeting economicintegration, trade, and energy matters. TheWest Africa Regional Program (WARP), forinstance, aims to ensure that Benin will ben-efit from the West Africa Gas Pipeline Project.

The U.S. is also interested in promoting

increased trade between the two countries,in particular to access the far larger marketsof Benin’s neighbors, namely Nigeria, Nigerand Burkina Faso, which operate throughBenin’s Port of Cotonou. Benin, as a mem-ber of the Economic Community of WestAfrican States (ECOWAS) is a key connec-tion point with the rest of this zone.

For private investors, now is the time toconsider Benin, says Dr Boni Yayi, particu-larly because so much remains to be done.“Where there is no risk, there is no oppor-

tunity. People seize opportunities graduallyas they appear and economic operatorsknow that well,” he explains. The main advan-tage, points out Minister of Defense IssifouKogui N’Douro, is Benin’s political stability.“Benin is a safe country,” he says.

Political stability looks set to continue,with the April 2007 legislative elections giv-ing Dr Boni Yayi’s Cauri Forces for anEmerging Benin party 35 out of 83 seats inthe National Assembly: a good sign for thefuture of the country. ■

GAYLEATHA B.BROWNU.S. Ambassador to Benin

Continued from page 1

‘BENIN IS AN IMPORTANTAFRICAN CONNECTION POINT’Minister of Development, Economy and Finance Pascal Irénée Koupakisets out Benin’s plans for financial and democratic consolidation

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Economic growth in Benin,although fairly steady for thelast sixteen years, has not

been consistent enough to reducepoverty levels. A lack of infra-structure inhibited the creation ofnew industry, while access to finan-cial and social institutions wasseverely limited. However, the willto engage in a liberal economy,coupled with a good democratictrack record, has allowed Benin tobenefit from international funding.

In March 2003, the World Bankand the IMF agreed to support adebt reduction package of $460 million underthe Heavily Indebted Poor Countries (HIPC) ini-tiative, chiefly because of Benin’s success atcontrolling inflation and external deficit.“President Boni Yayi’s policies have a two-foldaim: to consolidate democracy and to create

a new economic lease,” saysMinister of Development, Economyand Finance Pascal Koupaki. Thereform of key sectors such as cot-ton, telecommunications and elec-tricity, with a view to privatization,has recommenced and measureshave been initiated to improve com-petitiveness at the Port of Cotonou.Red tape has been a drawback tothe development of economicopportunities. “Step by step, we’retaking all private investment issuesinto account,” he says.

Private sector activity is crucialto the country’s continued development andeconomic growth. The government has decid-ed to encourage the development of value-added industries, such as Benin’s cottonfactories, which have the capacity to handle600,000 tonnes annually. Minister of Industry

3/ BeninSPECIAL ADVERTISING SECTION

A REFERENCE POINT FOR AFRICAN BANKING

CREATING AN ECONOMY ANDJOBS FOR THE PEOPLE Benin’s fiscal and democratic track record has led to increased support from international organizations, with the World Bank and IMF injecting $460 million in debt relief

and Trade Moudjaïdou Soumanou hopes toreach this level and resuscitate the country’stextile industries.

While the West Africa Gas pipeline projectwill allow Benin to become less reliant onimported hydro-electricity, potential investorsare on line for a new dam, and the productionof ethanol from cotton, palm oil and evencashew nuts – three of Benin’s main products– is being studied in partnership with Brasilia.Companies opening fuel stations will be eligi-ble for customs and import tax subsidies. “Thepolicy on power management is of using localand renewable sources as much as possible”,says Minister of Mines, Energy and WaterJocelyn Degbey.

Other measures center on reviving the indus-trial free trade zone. Over the next five years,job numbers here will almost double, accord-ing to Ataou Soufiano, President of the BeninChamber of Commerce and Industry and chair-man of the FTZ board. However, agricultureremains Benin’s major source of revenue. Withadequate infrastructure investment and accessto finance, cotton could make Benin ‘one of theworld’s 20 top agricultural nations,’ accordingto Minister of Agriculture, Roger Dovonou.“Benin should develop fast given its geo-graphical position close to Nigeria, the high lev-els of commercial activity coming in through

the Port of Cotonou, and the fact that it doesnot suffer from drought, which supports agri-cultural development,” concurs BernardGourlaouen, General Director of the SociétéGénérale de Banques au Bénin. Through itslinks with the Société Générale worldwide,which has attracted big business and person-al customers alike, SGBB has acquired 16 per-cent of the market share over the past threeyears, in spite of increased competition.

Mr Soufiano asserts that finding investmentfunds is not a problem; however, potential pro-jects cannot proceed without the application ofmajor administrative reforms and the creationof an efficient infrastructure network. “It’s ourduty to offer all required conditions because it’sin our interest that people come”, he says. ■

Agriculture remains Benin’s primary sourceof revenue, but ICT is playing an increasingrole in the development of the country.

Formed in 1990 as a pioneering venturebringing together Benino-Nigerian privateinvestors and four of the most importantNigerian financial institutions, BanqueInternationale du Bénin (BIBE) was at theforefront of the era of privatization in thecountry’s banking sector.Ushering in a new ethos ofregional financial coopera-tion, BIBE and its Nigerianpartners - Union Bank ofNigeria, First Bank ofNigeria, ContinentalMerchant Bank and FirstInterstate Merchant Bank -created a blueprint for inter-African financial partner-ships. Operating as a part ofthe Group Union Bank ofNigeria PLC, BIBE’s socialcapital expanded from 1 bil-lion FCFA to 9 billion FCFA over the firstfifteen years of its existence. Currentlyranked the fourth-largest financial institu-tion in Benin, in January this year thebank expanded its national presencewith the opening of three more branchesin the country’s predominantly agricultur-al areas, in line with Group Union Bank’sexpansion strategy, which is gearedtoward providing financial solutions tothe region’s growing agricultural sector.“We plan to go fully into the agriculture

business, assisting Benin’s economy. Ourfirst branch dedicated to agricultureshould open this year, and may be calledthe Benin Bank of Agriculture,” explainsGbenga Alese, Managing Director ofBIBE. Last year, 6.6 billion naira waspumped into agricultural financing as part

of the Agricultural CreditGuarantee Scheme. With apresence in London, SouthAfrica, Benin, Ghana andNigeria, Group Union Bankhas provided a catalyst forlocal institutions to positionthemselves globally, and forBIBE in particular to jostle fora place as the first port of callfor investors and customersin the French-speaking WestAfrican region. The groupwon the 2006 Euromoney

award for excellence as the best bank inNigeria, and by association BIBE hasforged a reputation as one of the mosttrusted and respected banks in Benin.With new branches in Mali, the IvoryCoast and Senegal, the group, throughBIBE, is realizing its ambition to play anincreasingly prominent role in the WestAfrican Monetary Union. “Being bothlocally and internationally connected inthis way gives BIBE a substantial advan-tage,” concludes Mr Alese.

ATAOU SOUFIANOPresidentChamber ofCommerce andIndustry

GBENGA ALESEManaging DirectorBanque Internationaledu Bénin

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Benin’s economy enters a new era.As the internationalconfidence hasbeen restored,the newPresident BoniYayi’s efforts tobuild a platformfor growth arepaying off. Economicdevelopment is set to follow,with a special focus on fivepriority sectors. Politicaland financial stability hasset the stage for progress,and Benin is openingits door to foreigninvestment.

BENIN nytmag.qxd 24/5/07 18:19 Página 5

Benin / 6 SPECIAL ADVERTISING SECTION

Benin’s geographical position,creating a land corridor fromBurkina Faso and Niger to

the Bight of Benin, with Nigeria toits east, means that in terms oftrade its most vital element is thePort of Cotonou. This fact has noteluded the new administration,which is directing major efforts torehabilitate, modernize and sani-tize the port and its activities.

Funding for an Access toMarkets program under theMillennium Challenge Account(MCA) could not have come at a better time.Allocated in October 2006, the $169 million grantis aimed at improving the competitiveness andperformance of the port.

The main target areas are administrativereforms, including the computerization of cus-

toms procedures; the implemen-tation of a modern security sys-tem; and the construction andrenovation of port infrastructures,including building two new quaysand executing a program to tack-le the silting up of the harbor withminimum environmental impact.

Christophe Aguessy, GeneralDirector of the Port of Cotonou, hasa solid background in economy,finance and management of bothprivate sector and public works, andhas a close working relationship

with President Boni Yayi, having worked withhim in the West African Development Bank.“My priorities are the same as the president’s:to develop the port as an important hub in thesub-region. This means a port from which coun-tries in the hinterland and even those that share

Port of Cotonou is the main artery for goods traffic entering Benin, itslocation making it a natural entry point for neighboring countries

THE GATEWAY TO THE WESTAFRICAN COMMON MARKET

our borders will see an explosion in their devel-opment,” he adds.

Mr Aguessy is confident that with this injec-tion of funding the port can be brought up tointernational standards. However, he is alsoaware of the need to develop the industrialbase of Benin to maximize the port’s potential.“The port can be the base of our industrializa-tion if well managed. It has a significant roleto play in attracting foreign partners, and send-ing out a positive message to potential investorsregarding our capacity for good management,”he says.

Human resources are a vital element toimprove the port’s efficiency, and humanresource management is the first priority forSobemap, the port’s goods handling compa-ny. Preparation for modernization of the portincludes training their employees in the useof new machinery-where necessary sending

them to neighboring ports to thisend. The company’s role, saysgeneral director Claude Olory-Togbe, is to be ready to meet thegrowth in traffic which shouldresult from government promotionof the internal economy and theexports industry.

Indeed, for all private companiesoperating out of Port of Cotonou,the burst of investment and expan-sion is welcome news, but requir-ing parallel efforts. Maersk Benin,a subsidiary of the Sobemap, relieson the port’s position as a tradecorridor to Niger. As imports con-tinue to rise, the firm plans to build

a container terminal just outside the port, whichwill not only increase its handling capacity andreduce congestion but will contribute to secu-rity by limiting the numbers of people enteringthe actual port area.

Developing the port is a major job, butMr Aguessy knows that it doesn’t endthere. “If the port of Cotonou meets inter-national standards without being com-petitive, we simply won’t receive sufficienttraffic to make it profitable,” he says. If theaccompanying infrastructures are not putin place simultaneously, traffic could choosethe nearby ports of Lomé or Abidjan. Onemeasure being taken is the creation of aheavy goods truck park, with offices forcustoms and police so that goods can bemonitored, packed and sealed within thePort area, and can then be dispatchedstraight to the border. ■

CHRISTOPHEAGUESSYGeneral DirectorPort of Cotonou

A $169 million investment hasprovided a regional platform, withcompanies such as Maersk andSobemap poised to capitalize onthe expansion of the port.

The Tunde Group is an ideal casestudy for all those who believe thatAfrica will only take off through a freemarket economy and privateentrepreneurship. Founded 20 yearsago in Cotonou as a modest officefurniture shop, this fully Beninesecompany now ranks among the 100leading enterprises in the country.With a turnover in 2005 of 3.8 billionCFA francs (around $7.6 million) and apermanent staff of 146 (plus 120trainees and 30 part-time employees),it is the nation’s number one printingand graphics services firm. Over theyears, it has diversified into sectors asvaried as transport and agriculture,and has just recently started a newactivity by becoming the exclusivedistributor of Volswagen-Audi

automobiles. Tunde is now looking toexpand throughout West Africa and tothat effect it is preparing its flotationon Benin's stock exchange.

At 41, Tunde's founder and CEORazaki Babatunde Ollofindji is aleading figure in the nation’s economyand a prominent spokesperson for theyoung generation of privateentrepreneurs. An advocate ofeconomic liberalism, he gives an “A”to the new government: "We haveentered an era of democratic renewaland there is definitely a much morefavorable business climate. This isextremely positive because the onlyway to tackle the challenge ofdevelopment in Benin and the wholeof Africa is through a strong privatesector and a liberal environment."

A GENUINE ‘MADE IN BENIN’ SUCCESS STORY

In the words of Minister ofTelecommunications, Media and NewTechnologies Venance Gnigla, thedevelopment of ICT has become one ofthe engines of economic growth and avector of community integration. “Thisis why we are working to create a safeand encouraging legal environment forinvestments, to guarantee basic infra-structure development and to makeICT accessible to all,” he explains.

Since the split of the old Office ofPost and Telecoms into twoseparate entities, BeninTelecom and La Poste duBenin, progress has beenmade in these endeavors.One of the primary aims ofthe telecoms sector is toprovide more extensive andcheaper telephone access,while the post office wantsto enter the ICT sector fullywith its Post-Cyber projectthat will bring internetaccess, electronic services, and evenbanking products to the greater popu-lation.

Private software provider and ITsolutions firm Unitec is at the forefrontof Benin’s ICT services sector. Thecompany’s strategy, according toPhilippe Amavi Bocco, its GeneralDirector, is “the promotion of our inte-grated services platforms and the

achievement of service agreements.”Unitec is also looking to become thefirst and most unique ‘build-operate-transfer’ provider in Africa’s technolog-ical services sector.

One of the company’s initial pro-jects was the installation of a webmailplatform, around which it has con-ceived solutions to spread professionalsoftware for development projects,official administration and economicoperators in general.

Unitec has also imple-mented cargo managingsystems for ports in Ghana,Togo, Benin and Nigeria.From these, the firm pro-duced a series of models fordata processing bookingoffices in the ports ofCotonou, Lomé and Douala,as well as a ‘guichet uniqueportuaire’, which allowsdirect and accurate controlof expenditures, taxes, cus-

toms and merchandise leaving theirports.

With new projects in the pipeline,the company is always looking for for-eign partners in terms of mobilizingfinancial resources. Mr Bocco com-ments, “All partner investors seekingperformance projects with a high rateof added value can find opportunitieswith Unitec.”

LEADERS IN TECHNOLOGICAL SOLUTIONS

PHILIPPE BOCCOGeneral DirectorUnitec

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7/ BeninSPECIAL ADVERTISING SECTION

Benin’s tourism industry brings in$44.5 million in revenues each year;it is the sector with the second

highest number of businesses in the coun-try; and is the third highest provider ofjobs. As a destination, Benin ranks fifthout of the thirteen countries of WesternAfrica. Yet, despite these figures, tourismonly contributes around two percent to thecountry ’s GDP. Because of this, thePresident has earmarked the sector formajor development on bothdomestic and internationalfronts.

Minister of Tourism and CraftIndustries Soumanou SeibouToleba’s immediate priority isto increase visitor numbersfrom the current 170,000 peryear. The main problems hefaces are the lack of an ade-quate legal framework to reg-ularize the sector and aninsufficiency of pubic-privatepartnerships. For this latter aspect, attract-ing investment is vital to develop boththe physical infrastructures and the pro-motional aspects required for the indus-try. At the same time, an internationalmarketing campaign creating the conceptof Benin as a destination, and the pro-motion of Benin’s numerous cultural, eco-

logical and leisure attractions to its ownpopulation are expected to help build uptrade.

“We need to facilitate access to finan-cial institutions for private entrepreneursso that they can invest in the hotel busi-ness,” says Mr Toleba. “We are workingjointly with private operators, and wehave also included a number of tourismprojects in our own public works, improv-ing roads and transport to allow touriststo move easily across the country.” Interms of attracting foreign visitors, theministry is already dealing with air com-panies for the reduction of air fares; ininternal tourism, one project seeks invest-ment for coach tour companies.

There are many aspects ofthe industry to be developed inBenin. Aside from the fine sandbeaches for typical sea andsun vacations, the Ministerplans to develop cultural, reli-gious, nature and businesstourism. The Route des Pechesproject will optimize 32km ofshoreline from vibrant Cotonouto the town of Ouidah, wherethe slave trade was based; thegovernment hopes to prepare

the ground, assisted by MCA funding forland regulation, and then invite investorsin to create hotels and marine parks.

African-Americans who may be ableto trace their roots to Benin and its neigh-boring countries are one target marketfor the budding industry, but cultural sitessuch as the Royal Palaces of Abomey, a

UNESCO World Heritage site, or naturereserves like the Pendjari Park, a UNESCOBiosphere reserve, should help to bringin tourists from the West and from theAfrican sub-region. In terms of businesstourism, Mr Toleba is keen to create aninfrastructure capable of hosting majorregional and international events, suchas meetings of the African Union.

One hotel already welcoming busi-nessmen and official visitors to the cap-ital is the Benin Marina Hotel in Cotonou.In private hands since 2003, the hotel isundergoing extensive refurbishment tomaintain its well-known standards, andhas a number of conference rooms. “Ourmain objective is to keep the leadershipof the tourism sector in Benin,” saysMarcel Andeweg, Benin Marina’s General

Manager. The hotel is also involved inpromoting Benin as a destination abroad,particularly to African-Americans, in asso-ciation with other industry operators. ■

MARCEL ANDEWEGGeneral Manager Benin Marina Hotel

TOURISM WITH A SPLASH OF INDIVIDUALITYAn oasis of tranquility in a volatileregion, Benin is also an untarnishedtourism destination far removedfrom regional mass markets.

For further information contact: SUMMIT COMMUNICATIONS

1040 First Avenue, Suite 395, New York, NY 10022-2902

Tel: 1 (212) 286-0034 ,Fax: 1 (212) 286-8376, E-mail: info@summitreports.comAn online version is available atwww.summitreports.com/benin

SUMMIT COMMUNICATIONSIN BENIN

Project Director: Philippe van MaldeghemProject Coordinator: Catherine LouvrierEditorial Research: Julie de Pimodan

The Benin Marina Hotel in Cotonou is a market leader in tourism, promoting Benin as a traveldestination and enjoying a reputation for style, elegance and high standards of service.

Few companies better illus-trate the positive impact ofmobile telephony on theWest African regional econ-omy than Moov, Benin’sleading player in the sector. Formerly Benin Telecel,Moov is in the midst of acoordinated re-brandingcampaign by its parentcompany, AtlantiqueTelecom, that will seeregional affiliates in Togo,Burkina Faso, Gabon, Niger, Côted’Ivoire and the Central AfricanRepublic share the Moov logo.

The decision to establish a singleregional brand came after Etisalat, theUnited Arab Emirates' partially state-owned operator, bought a 50% stake in

Atlantique Telecom in April2005.“Moov is now a move-ment; and in Benin, it is builton Telecel’s success,” saysgeneral manager TalibiHaidra. “With the launchingof the Moov brand, things arereally starting to happen.” Mr.Haidra joined what was thenBenin Telecel in 2004, andtook the company’s helm inJune 2005.

He says the secret ofMoov’s success is based on the qualityand coverage of its network, whichalready reaches 70% of the country. Itsvalue-added services include MMS,web browsing, WAP, email, downloadsof ring tones and other accessories. Thecompany intends to launch a 3G service

later this year.Mr. Haidra highlights three objectives

for 2007: “The first is to increase net-work coverage to 85%, and our goal isfor nationwide access; the second is tocontinue improving the quality of thenetwork; and the third is to provide newservices to make life better for our cus-tomers. Demand for GSM is growingfast, and we want our subscribers toenjoy the same service as people inEurope or the United States.”

He describes Moov as a youthfulbrand, dynamic and, crucially, pan-African. Moov operates in a region witha combined population of 61 millionpeople, but with a mobile penetrationrate of less than 10%. Subscribergrowth in the region was 40% in 2006and exceeds 100% in some countries.

Revenue is increasing by 20-50% annu-ally, while margins are around 40%.“We need to further develop roaming inthe region,” concludes Mr. Haidra. “Allour neighbors ought to interconnect sothat people can travel throughout WestAfrica and make low-cost calls.”

TALKING ON THE MOOV IN WESTERN AFRICA IS THE WAY FORWARD

TALIBI HAIDRAGeneral Manager Moov

Subscriber growth and demand for GSM inthe region are firing Moov’s 2007 objectives.

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