Strategy: Benin has eyes on growth with its ambitious Seme City project

Sèmè City aims to create a spectacular education hub, research and business incubation in West Africa.

The presidential office of Benin is committed to making Sèmè City the business hub for sub-Saharan Africa region, located in the coastal city of Cotonou, Benin.

This facility aims to create a spectacular education hub, research and business incubation in West Africa.

Sèmè City is expected to generate and house educational establishments and research and development centres which include a business incubator supporting up to 250 startups.

President Patrice Talon explains that“Sèmè City symbolises our determination to promote knowledge as a growth driver and position Benin at the forefront of the knowledge economy on the international scene.

The project will receive state sponsorship of XOF207-billion (roughly R4.7-billion at the time of publication) in the coming years.

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Meanwhile, some funds have already been released to begin preparation work, he stated.

The flagship project which Benin hopes of making it a lab for entrepreneurs will cover 350 hectares.

“We are designing Sèmè City so it becomes an open-air laboratory – a ‘Living Lab’,” said Claude Borna, the development officer of Sèmè City.

Various points of call regarding the hubs strategic projects still in need of partners are:

Training — Schools – hotel management, IT, cinema and audio-visual design, socially impactful design, sustainable fashion.

Research — Laboratory for research and quality control of plant-based medication, laboratory of research for new medication.

Business incubation — Open innovation centres for innovative solutions associated with the concept of a sustainable city.

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