Benin

Porto-Novo is the official, constitutional capital of Benin and home to the National Assembly. Many people mistake Cotonou for the capital because it’s the country’s largest city and the seat of government, hosting the presidency and many ministries, but legally the capital remains Porto-Novo. Founded near the Nigeria border, the city gained the Portuguese name “Porto-Novo” (“New Port”) during the Atlantic trade era and kept its capital status from the French colonial period of Dahomey into independent Benin. Memory tip: Cotonou = Commerce and Cabinets (economic hub and government offices); Porto-Novo = Parliament and Protocol (the official capital).