The first railway in what was then Dahomey was opened in 1906 between the port of Cotonou and Ouidah, a distance of about 45km. The gauge chosen was metre gauge, typical for a French colonial railway of the time. The main line was extended in stages to reach Parakou (437km from Cotonou) by 1936. When other lines were built, the original line became know as the Northern Line. The other lines were the Eastern Line from Cotonou to Pobé (107km) and the Western Line, a branch from the Northern Line at Pahou to Ségboroué (33km). The newer lines were closed in the latter half of the 20th century, leaving only line the Northern Line open until the reopening of a short stretch of the Eastern Line from Cotonou to the capital, Porto Novo, in 1999.
In 2005, a extension of the Northern Line was proposed, from its northern terminus of Parakou to Miamey in Niger. The existing line was concessed to l'Organisation Commune Bénin-Niger des Chemins de Fer et des Transports (OCBN) who would also build and operate the new railway. No progress having been made by 2010, a study was initiated by PIC Network Limited into a similar proposal, this time integrated with further infrastructure and port development. If the proposal was successful, the concession for the existing and new lines would be transferred to PIC Network. However, despite favourable reports it appears that no firm progress had been made by mid 2011.
© 2006-2011
Glyn Williams
Flag image from CIA World Factbook
