Benin

Is Benin safe to visit?

The south, yes, for a traveller who takes normal precautions; the north, no. Cotonou, Porto-Novo, the lagoon village of Ganvié and the old slave-trade port of Ouidah are generally calm, and the US says most coastal and southern areas are safe. But northern Benin has become one of the front lines of the Sahel's jihadist war. We score Benin 49, below Ghana (57) but well above Burkina Faso and Niger, where the same groups control much of the countryside.

Our confidence is low. Benin's last national homicide figure is from 2017 (WHO's 2021 model puts the rate at 5.8 per 100,000), the road death estimate is from 2021, and casualty figures from the north are often disputed.

Jihadist attacks in the north: what has happened

Fighters of Jama'at Nusrat al-Islam wal-Muslimin (JNIM), the al-Qaeda affiliate based in Burkina Faso and Niger, use the forests and parks of the W-Arly-Pendjari complex as a base. Their attacks are aimed mostly at soldiers, but tourists have been caught up before: in 2019 two French visitors were kidnapped in Pendjari and their Beninese guide was killed. The main attacks since then:

• 2022: two convoys hit roadside bombs in Parc W, killing seven park staff and a soldier (FCDOFCDO travel adviceThe UK government's travel advice for each country, which can advise against all travel or all but essential travel to specific areas.More in the glossary).
• January 2025: 28 soldiers killed in an attack on a military post in Parc W (FCDO).
• 17 April 2025: at least 54 soldiers killed in attacks on two military posts in Parc W (government figure, reported by AP).
• June to November 2025: JNIM claimed attacks at Basso, Wara, Nuku and Karunji along the border with Nigeria (ACLED).
• 4 and 7 March 2026: attacks on army positions at Kofouno and the former Pendjari Lodge; the army said 15 soldiers died at Kofouno.
• 26 May 2026: two attacks on army positions at Kourou, near the Burkina Faso border, two days after President Wadagni took office; JNIM claimed them.

ACLED, which tracks conflict events, says 2025 was the deadliest year to date for Benin's army. In the border regions of Benin, Niger and north-western Nigeria, violent events involving jihadist groups rose 86% from 2024 to 2025 and deaths rose 262%. Kidnapping for ransom also happens in Alibori and Borgou near the Nigerian border.

Where you can and cannot go

The UK advises against all travel to Pendjari and W national parks with their hunting zones, the area between Parc W and Niger, and anywhere within 5 km of the Burkina Faso border. Since 15 December 2025 it has also advised against all but essential travel to the rest of Alibori and Atacora departments, which covers Natitingou, Kandi and the Tata Somba country, and to the strip between the RNIE 2 highway and the Nigerian border from Tchaourou to Malanville. The US says do not travel to any area bordering Burkina Faso, Niger or the Nigerian states of Kebbi, Niger and Kwara. Curfews can be set at short notice in the north.

That leaves the south and centre, roughly from the coast to Parakou and Djougou, open to normal travel.

Politics after the coup attempt

On 7 December 2025 soldiers tried to overthrow the government and failed. Benin elected a new president on 12 April 2026, when finance minister Romuald Wadagni won about 94% of the vote (ACLED), and he took office on 24 May. The FCDOFCDO travel adviceThe UK government's travel advice for each country, which can advise against all travel or all but essential travel to specific areas.More in the glossary says unrest can break out without warning; avoid demonstrations and follow curfews.

Roads, malaria and the sea

Roads are the risk most visitors underestimate. WHO estimatesWHO road-death estimateThe World Health Organization's estimate of road traffic deaths per 100,000 people in a country, adjusted for deaths that police statistics miss.More in the glossary 24.8 road deaths per 100,000 people in 2021, similar to Ghana and Niger and a little worse than Togo. The FCDOFCDO travel adviceThe UK government's travel advice for each country, which can advise against all travel or all but essential travel to specific areas.More in the glossary says driving standards are poor, roads are unlit and there is no reliable public transport; it advises avoiding taxis, long-distance buses and night driving. Motorbike taxis (zémidjans) are everywhere in Cotonou; if you take one, insist on a helmet.

Malaria is the main health threat, with an estimated 354 cases per 1,000 people at risk in 2024. CDC recommends preventive tablets for everyone, Benin requires a yellow fever certificate at entry, and polio has been found in the past year. Emergency care is extremely limited even in Cotonou, so buy insurance that covers evacuation.

The Atlantic coast from Grand-Popo to Cotonou has very strong currents, and the FCDO says many people drown every year. Swim only where locals say it is safe.

Crime in Cotonou

The FCDOFCDO travel adviceThe UK government's travel advice for each country, which can advise against all travel or all but essential travel to specific areas.More in the glossary says theft and mugging are common in Cotonou, especially in crowded places and around Dantokpa market, which you should avoid at night. Carjacking happens in the city and on roads outside it; keep doors locked and do not stop for people waving you down. Romance, business and job scams also run from Benin, so tell family to call you before sending money "for you".

How we scored it

Health and road safety (both 35) are the weakest factors; roads are scored on WHO's 2021 estimate of 24.8 deaths per 100,000, at the bottom of the 15–25 band. Conflict (45) reflects a northern insurgency that has killed scores of soldiers but has not reached the south. Violent crime (68) is the strongest, scored on WHO's modelled homicide rateHomicide rateThe number of people killed on purpose each year for every 100,000 residents. It is the most comparable crime figure between countries.More in the glossary of 5.8 because the national figure is old and probably low.