Trade partner
U.S. Imports
$8.5M
August 2026
U.S. Exports
$35.5M
August 2026
Trade surplus
$27.1M
August 2026 · U.S. exports more than it imports
In August 2026 the United States imported $8.5M from Benin and exported $35.5M to it, across 29 imported product categories.
Over the twelve months to August 2026, the U.S. imported $52.9M from Benin and exported $417.6M to it. In August 2026, the U.S. ran a monthly goods trade surplus of $27.1M with Benin, exporting 4.2× as much as it imported. U.S. goods imports from Benin of $8.5M in August 2026 ran 70% above the year-to-date monthly average of $5.0M.
Benin's port of Cotonou functions as a key transit gateway for landlocked neighbors including Niger, Burkina Faso, and Mali, meaning that goods recorded under Beninese origin in US trade data may include significant re-export volumes. Domestically, cotton is the country's primary agricultural export, and cashew nuts have grown as a meaningful commodity. Trade professionals should scrutinize bills of lading and certificates of origin carefully when Cotonou appears as the port of loading.
AI-written summary of the official U.S. Census Bureau trade figures on this page — verify before relying on it.
Cotonou is a major regional transit port serving landlocked countries to the north. A significant share of goods loaded at Cotonou may originate in Niger, Burkina Faso, or Mali, so importers must verify country-of-origin documentation to ensure accurate customs declarations and compliance with any applicable trade-remedy orders.
Cotton lint is Benin's dominant agricultural export, with the country among West Africa's larger producers. Cashew nuts (raw and processed) have grown in importance as a secondary export, and shea products also appear in Benin's trade profile, particularly for cosmetic and food-ingredient buyers.
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Annual data from BEA | 2025
Services Exports
$57.0M
Services Imports
$47.0M
The top U.S. imports from Benin are Soybean Oilcake & Other Solid Residues from Soy Oil…, Shelled Cashew Nuts, Fresh or Dried and Toilet & Kitchen Linen of Cotton Terry Fabrics, by value in the latest month.
| Rank | Product | Import value |
|---|---|---|
| 1 | $5.0M | |
| 2 | $2.4M | |
| 3 | $523K | |
| 4 | $226K | |
| 5 | $211K | |
| 6 | $118K | |
| 7 | US-Origin Articles Exported & Returned Without AdvancementChapter 98 · Special Classification Provisions | $16K |
| 8 | $5K | |
| 9 | Estimated Imports of Low-Valued TransactionsChapter 99 · Special Import Reporting Provisions | $3K |
| 10 | $0 |
| $5.4M |
| 4 | $4.6M |
| 5 | $3.4M |
| 6 | $2.1M |
| 7 | $1.6M |
| 8 | Low-Value Export Shipments & Canadian Estimated Late ReceiptsChapter 98 · Special Classification Provisions | $368K |
| 9 | $238K |
| 10 | $225K |