Dantokpa Market, Open-air market in Cotonou, Benin.
Dantokpa Market is an open-air market in Cotonou featuring a multi-story main building surrounded by numerous trading stalls and huts along a waterfront location. The layout organizes different merchandise zones where sellers and buyers conduct their daily commerce.
The market was established in 1963 and later grew into one of West Africa's largest commercial centers. Over time, the location became a major economic hub connecting traders across the region.
Women lead most trading activities here, offering everything from fresh produce and textiles to traditional medicines and ceremonial items that reflect local daily practices.
Merchants and customers reach the market by both land and water routes, with many boats docking directly at the waterfront. The different arrival options make it easy to explore the site on foot or by water transport.
The site operates as a self-contained economic system where roughly one million daily visitors engage in trade. This volume and the specialized trading zones create something like a city within the city.
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