UNCTAD

Benin takes business registration online at critical time

Benin this month took its business registration processes 100% digital, setting up an efficient, new online single window that houses all regulatory processes needed to open a business in record time.

This critical move, ahead of the spike in global infections from the new coronavirus, COVID19, means that businesspeople – in Benin or abroad – can now start a business in two hours and from the comfort and safety of the office or home.

The Government of Benin’s new online platform, MonEntreprise.bj, will help businesses launch efficiently and lower barriers to entry into the business world.

It is now also the only way entrepreneurs in Benin can formalize their businesses, since more government offices are closing to the public as part of social distancing tactics to minimize the transmission of the virus.

Despite the negative impacts of the global pandemic, innovation is allowing for business to continue in unusual circumstances, and a total of 138 new enterprises were created in the week of 16 to 20 March.

Through the system, a new business is automatically compliant with trade, tax, social security and department of labour obligations. Business owners also receive all their certificates in digital format.

“This is a big step forward, Benin is transforming,” said Laurent Gangbès, director-general of APIEx, Benin’s investment and export agency, which is behind the new initiative. “Whether you are in Benin or abroad, the constraint of travelling to create your business has been removed.”

“The MonEntreprise.bj portal is a major development for business in Benin. The country can only change thanks to this tool, which offers excellent conditions for entrepreneurship.”

This platform is part of the overall strategy of the Government of Benin to put in place a smart administration that delivers innovative services to the private sector and enables businesses to thrive.

This ground-breaking innovation was born of a long-standing partnership between Benin and UNCTAD.

With this new single window, Benin gets a top score on ger.co, an index of countries’ business registrations systems, joining an elite group of six countries including Denmark, Kenya, New Zealand, Oman, and Switzerland, offering their entrepreneurs 100% online business registration.

“Systems like these, using online innovation to improve and streamline eGovernment, are crucial in a time of crisis,” said Frank Grozel, UNCTAD’s head of business facilitation.

“We can see now during the coronavirus pandemic why it is so useful, especially in African countries, to have online systems in place to support the entrepreneurial and business environment.”

Read the complete article a : UNCTAD News