Business Environment and Demand for Metropolitan Coordination in Grand Nokoué an Analysis of Economic Stakeholders
Issaka Kassimou *
Laboratory for Analysis and Research on Economic and Social Dynamics (LARDES), Department of Rural Economics and Sociology, Faculty of Agronomy, University of Parakou, P.O. Box 123, Parakou, Benin.
Odidi Cocou Edmond
Laboratory of Spatial Planning, Environment and Sustainable Development (LATEDD), University of Abomey-Calavi, Benin.
Gibigaye Moussa
Laboratory of Rural Geography and Agricultural Expertise (LaGREAT), University of Abomey-Calavi, Benin.
*Author to whom correspondence should be addressed.
Abstract
Grand Nokoué comprises five municipalities with interconnected economic activities, yet businesses operate across different local administrative settings. This study describes constraints reported by economic stakeholders and examines their preferences for metropolitan coordination. A questionnaire was administered to 58 stakeholders from Abomey-Calavi, Cotonou, Porto-Novo, Ouidah and Sèmè-Kpodji. The sample comprised 42 microenterprises, 12 small enterprises and four medium-sized enterprises. The questionnaire also covered commercial links, public investments and expectations concerning metropolitan services. Responses were summarised using descriptive proportions; Wilson 95% confidence intervals were reported for selected estimates. Access to finance was the most frequently cited obstacle (47/58; 81.0%), followed by the informal sector (36/58; 62.1%), administrative complexity (33/58; 56.9%), taxation (32/58; 55.2%) and logistical difficulties (28/58; 48.3%). Both the harmonisation of procedures and the establishment of a metropolitan authority were supported by 49 stakeholders (84.5%; 95% CI: 73.1–91.6). Thirty-six respondents (62.1%) reported a positive perception of Government Action Programme projects. Regarding financial contributions, 12 respondents expressed voluntary willingness to contribute, while 29 would contribute if benefits were clear. The findings suggest that respondents' support for metropolitan coordination is associated with practical expectations concerning finance, administrative procedures and logistics. Because the sample was non-probabilistic and relatively small, these findings describe the surveyed stakeholders and do not establish population-wide preferences or causal effects.
Keywords: Business environment, metropolitan coordination, finance, transaction costs