Benin-Niger Railway

railway, Africa

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June 22, 2026

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The Benin-Niger Railway is a railway line that begins in Cotonou, Benin, and extends northward for 273 miles (439 km) to Parakou. While it is referred to as the Benin-Niger Railway, it does not actually reach Niger. Goods transported on this railway can be moved an additional 200 miles (322 km) by road to the navigable Niger River. Cotonou serves as Benin's de facto capital and economic hub, with industries such as textile production and palm-oil processing. Niger, a landlocked country, relies on Cotonou and Lagos, Nigeria, as its primary ports, both over 600 miles away, as it has no railroads of its own.12

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Cotonou
…starting point of the so-called Benin-Niger Railway, which extends northward 273 miles (439 km) into the interior but ends in the middle of Benin at Parakou. Goods can be moved another 200 miles (322 km) by road to the navigable Niger River. Modern artificial deepwater port facilities at Cotonou serve…
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…starting point of the so-called Benin-Niger Railway, which extends northward 273 miles (439 km) into the interior but ends in the middle of Benin at Parakou. Goods can be moved another 200 miles (322 km) by road to the navigable Niger River. Modern artificial deepwater port facilities at Cotonou serve…
Read More