Could a new industrial lion emerge on Africa's west coast?

When Muriel Akouewanou finished her studies in natural sciences in Benin, she struggled to find work and was unemployed for two years.

- Sarah Johnson

Then, she saw an advert on TV. Textile factories were being built in a new industrial zone, 45km from Cotonou, the city where Akouewanou, 24, lived, and they needed workers.

"To be honest, it didn't appeal to me," she said. "It was something I'd never done, I'd never worked with machines." Nevertheless, she applied, and was accepted on to the six-month training scheme.

To her surprise she enjoyed the work. Now, her salary covers all her expenses and allows her to give some money to her parents. Her dream is to become a textile engineer in Benin's emergent industry.

In the past few years, Benin has become Africa's leading cotton producer, with annual production of 728,000 tonnes in 2020-21, according to government figures. Traditionally it has exported almost all of that raw, with most going to Bangladesh.

An initiative between the Republic of Benin and Arise Integrated Industrial Platforms, a pan-African venture partly owned by the Africa Finance Corporation, is underway to create jobs and revenue. It aims to process the cotton and other agricultural products locally, with the goal of exporting finished goods, such as T-shirts and underwear, to Europe, Asia, Africa and the US.