Cotonou tackles food safety: how the port revolutionised street vending

Key challenges

How can Cotonou’s port-side street vendors sustain their livelihoods while ensuring strict hygiene and safety for both sellers and customers?

Transformative solution

Faced with the precarious and hazardous working conditions of food vendors along the port’s perimeter, the Port Autonome de Cotonou (PAC) launched an ambitious consultation process to address these concerns. The outcome was the creation of modern, weatherproof vending stalls equipped with running water and electricity. This initiative underscores the port authority’s commitment to social responsibility and environmental stewardship for surrounding communities.

A model initiative in action

In its ongoing drive to modernise operations and enhance community impact, the Port Autonome de Cotonou has invested in a 3,000m² covered marketplace featuring fully equipped cooking stations, water and electricity access. Previously, 98 vendors operated along the roadside—exposed to traffic, weather, and without sanitation or meal preparation facilities. Today, they benefit from clean, secure stalls that allow on-site cooking, stock storage, and serve port workers and local residents with higher hygiene standards.

The project, costing over 600 million FCFA, involved stakeholder consultations and delivered multiple benefits. Vendors now enjoy financial stability and increased customer access, while the new location attracts a more diverse clientele, including senior staff and dock workers. Early data reveals a 20% sales increase, and ongoing assessments track further gains in incident reduction and waste management.