Key challenges
How can street vendors operating near the port maintain sustainable livelihoods while ensuring strict food hygiene and safety for both vendors and customers?
Proven solution
Faced with the precarious and hazardous working conditions of food vendors along the port access road and the urgent need to improve food hygiene standards, the Port Autonome de Cotonou (PAC) initiated extensive stakeholder consultations. These discussions led to the development of modern market stalls that protect vendors from traffic and harsh weather, complete with running water and electricity. This initiative demonstrates the port authority’s commitment to social and environmental responsibility for neighboring communities.
Transformative initiative
As part of its long-term commitment to social and environmental progress, the Port Autonome de Cotonou has been modernizing operations and implementing community-focused initiatives for years. In 2024, the port inaugurated a 3,000m² covered space featuring 98 modern vendor stalls equipped with cooking facilities, water access, and electricity. Previously, these vendors operated along the roadside without protection from traffic or weather, unable to cook on-site, reheat meals, or store inventory properly.
Today, vendors benefit from clean, secure facilities that enable professional food preparation and service to port employees and nearby residents under improved hygiene conditions. The relocation has enhanced financial stability for vendors by increasing customer access while fostering a more inclusive community space attracting diverse clientele including executives and dockworkers. Early data shows a 20% sales increase, with ongoing assessments tracking additional benefits like incident reduction and waste management improvements.
The construction cost exceeded 600 million FCFA, with stakeholders actively involved in the planning process. This project not only transformed working conditions but also created a safer, healthier environment for food commerce in the port area.
