Safety in Benin: what overland travellers should know
Our summary of the country advice published by the Italian Ministry of Foreign Affairs (Viaggiare Sicuri) on 19 May 2026.
Safety
- Areas advised against — Because of crime, terrorism and kidnapping the ministry advises against going to: the town of Kandi and everything north and east of it up to the borders with Burkina Faso, Niger and Nigeria; the town of Tanguieta and everything north and west up to the borders with Burkina Faso and Togo; the Pendjari and W-Arly-Pendjari national parks; the Pendjari, Atacora and Djona hunting zones; the RNIE 7 between Banikoara and Segbana; and the RN 10 between Nikki and Segbana.
- Terrorism in the north — Bandits, criminal organisations and terrorist groups are active in Benin, in particular in the northern areas bordering Burkina Faso and Niger. Attacks come with little or no warning and can hit shops, markets, hotels, places of worship, restaurants, bars, schools, government sites and transport hubs. 28 jihadist attacks were recorded between November 2021 and September 2022, serious incidents continued through 2024, and two attacks in January and April 2025 killed over 100 Beninese soldiers. An attempted military coup on 7 December 2025 was put down by the security forces.
- Kidnapping risk — Foreigners can be exposed to kidnapping, above all in the far north: the Pendjari and W-Arly-Pendjari parks and the areas around them, and rural parts of the Atakora, Alibori and Borgou departments. The ministry also says to avoid the Mékrou and Djona hunting zones, and the north-eastern border area with Nigeria from the outskirts of Malanville to around Nikki.
- Robbery at night — Robberies and assaults, foreigners included, happen often — usually at night and in isolated places, and most frequently in urban areas and crowded markets. Take particular care in all urban outskirts, especially after sunset.
- Roads towards Lagos — The ministry advises against using the roads linking Cotonou with the Nigerian towns of Badagry and Lagos during the hours of darkness.
- Flooding — In the rainy season, from early April to late October, flooding hits mostly rural areas but also parts of the outskirts of Cotonou and Porto Novo, made worse by poor drainage and building along the main rivers.
Before you rely on this
This is our summary of advice written by the Italian Ministry of Foreign Affairs for Italian travellers, published on 19 May 2026. We summarise in good faith, but we cannot guarantee it is accurate, current or complete, and we take no responsibility for decisions made on the basis of it. Rules change without notice and are applied by officials at the border, not by websites. Always read the original source and the travel advice your own government publishes for Benin before you travel. GuideMeet has no way of checking whether an individual guide meets any standard mentioned here — ask them directly.
Source: Viaggiare Sicuri — Italian Ministry of Foreign Affairs, updated 19 May 2026. Last checked by GuideMeet on 2026-09-20.