Travel Safety in Benin

There are are a number of security concerns associated with travel to Benin. The primary risk facing travellers is crime. Rates of both petty and violent crime are elevated in the country’s largest city, Cotonou, but there is also a persistent threat in other towns and cities.

There is also a significant concern relating to armed banditry in rural areas, particularly at the country’s border with Nigeria, Niger and Burkina Faso. These areas, particularly in the departments of Atakora, Alibori and Borgou, are known to host Islamist extremist groups that have engaged in acts of terrorism and kidnapping. These risks also extend to areas within 50km of the Nigerian border in the departments Collines, Oueme and Plateau, albeit with a lower intensity and frequency. Demonstrations occur infrequently in Benin due to the government's strict regulation of the sociopolitical space.

Medical infrastructure is considered limited in towns and cities and virtually non-existent in rural areas.