Benin scored 0.667 on the financial inclusion index of the regional central bank BCEAO for 2025, the highest of the eight West African Economic and Monetary Union (WAEMU) countries and above the union's 0.616, the bank said in its annual dashboard. About 92.8% of adults used a bank, microfinance or mobile money account, against 76.1% across the union, a gap of 16.7 points.
Analysis: Mobile money and microfinance underpin Benin's lead. Conventional account ownership remains much lower, at 39.8% of adults, although still above the union's 26.9% rate. Benin has 540 financial service points per 10,000 adults, 2.4 times the regional average, indicating a relatively extensive distribution network. But its inclusion index barely improved from 0.663 in 2024. Further progress may depend less on opening new access points than on deepening savings, credit and regular account use. Higher regional wallet limits taking effect November 2 could support greater use, although their impact remains uncertain.
Source: Banque Centrale des États de l'Afrique de l'Ouest (BCEAO), BCEAO, Tableau de bord de l'inclusion financière dans l'UEMOA au titre de l'année 2025, 2025