Is the allocation of intersections in the city of Cotonou to companies for festive decorations taking place against a backdrop of favoritism? The question remains entirely open and proves relevant in light of the facts brought to the attention of your newspaper’s editorial staff.
Indeed, from the facts and testimonies gathered, voices are being raised to deplore a lack of transparency in the intersection allocation process, something that fails to guarantee fairness and transparency in the process. From our initial investigations, it appears that the practice has persisted for nearly three years. One company in particular, SIAB, shares the following: “For nearly three years, our company has been identifying intersections, designing decoration projects, and officially submitting its requests to the city hall. Yet, repeatedly, the competing company FabriMetal subsequently positions itself for the same intersections and manages to secure them for the following year, without the criteria that motivated these allocations being clearly communicated to us.” The same scenario seems poised to repeat itself this year concerning the Fidjrossè Intersection, a source confides, citing acts of favoritism. Other sources reveal that an official at the city hall reportedly favors certain requests in exchange for financial benefits—information that we are not in a position to confirm at the current stage of our investigative process. Attempts by the company to meet with the Executive Secretary have also reportedly been in vain.
The silence of the city hall is concerning…
Contacted by correspondence dated September 8, 2026, the Cotonou City Hall has neither followed up on our concerns nor responded to the accusations brought to its attention. Sources close to the Mayor of the city of Cotonou agree that the municipal authority reportedly forwarded the correspondence to the Executive Secretary so that a follow-up could be given to the facts mentioned. However, the latter appears indifferent to the situation. And already, questions are lingering in people’s minds. What are the criteria for allocating intersections? Who examines and validates the requests? Are the order of submission, the quality of the projects, the investments already made, the seniority of the actions, and fair rotation truly taken into account? What guarantee does the city hall offer regarding objective, traceable, and identical rules for all companies, as well as an internal audit if practices of favoritism truly exist?
These are all questions to which the Cotonou City Hall will need to provide elements of clarification in order to dispel the gray areas surrounding this situation and, above all, to testify to the credibility of the entire team serving the municipal administration.
- Decentralization
