Benin Gini Index

Benin’s Gini index fell from 38.60 in 2003 to a trough of 34.40 in 2021, marking the lowest level recorded since the series began and positioning the country at 41st globally in that year. The sharpest deterioration occurred in 2015, when the index peaked at 47.60, suggesting a brief episode of heightened income inequality that was subsequently reversed through a combination of social policies and modest economic growth. Compared with peers that rank closely on the World Bank list, Benin’s 2021 figure of 34.40 is marginally lower than Portugal’s 34.60 and Italy’s 34.80, and essentially equal to Montenegro’s and Latvia’s 34.30, indicating a convergence toward the lower‑inequality end of the distribution among middle‑income economies. The continued decline from the 2015 peak implies that recent reforms have been effective, but sustaining this trajectory will depend on maintaining inclusive growth, expanding fiscal capacity, and addressing structural labor market constraints that could otherwise reverse the gains.