Pobè
Pobè is a city and arrondissement located in the Plateau Department of Benin. The commune covers an area of 400 square kilometres and as of 2013 had a population of 123,740 people.
Geography
Pobè is a city and commune in the Plateau Department of southeastern Benin. The commune covers an area of about 400 square kilometres. It is bordered to the north by the commune of Kétou, to the south and west by Adja-Ouèrè, and to the east by the Republic of Nigeria.Administrative divisions
The commune of Pobè comprises **five arrondissements**: Pobè-Centre, and four rural arrondissements: Towé, Igana, Ahoyéyé, and Issaba. Together they include 44 villages and urban quarters.Population
According to the 2013 General Population and Housing Census, Pobè had a population of about 123,677 inhabitants. The population growth between 1992 and 2002 was high, with 82,910 inhabitants in 2002 and ~54,181 in 1992, indicating an annual growth rate consistent with many borders communes of Plateau.Economy
Agriculture is the main economic activity in Pobè. Major crops include maize, manioc, yams, groundnut, palm oil, and vegetables.Pobè also has significant mineral resources, notably limestone, clay and “terre de barre”.
The commune hosts a cement factory in Onigbolo, supplying clinker to many construction sites across Benin.
Infrastructure and Services
Pobè is governed by a mayor, currently Simon Adébayo Dinan.It has 25 members in its communal council.
The commune is part of the national electricity network and is involved in major development programs including a 25 MW solar photovoltaic plant to be built over 96 hectares.
Pobè has a budget primitif de près de **1,976,786,921 FCFA** pour l’année 2021, visant notamment l’amélioration des routes, de l’école, et des services sociaux.
Culture, Language, and Ethnic Groups
The population of Pobè includes several ethnic and linguistic groups: Nago, Yoruba, Holli, Goun, Fon, and Adja.The commune has a strong tradition of craftsmanship: wood carving, pottery, weaving are practiced. It also hosts cultural festivals, sacred forests, and traditional rituals, particularly in rural arrondissements and villages.
Climate and Environment
Pobè has a subequatorial climate with two rainy seasons and two dry seasons.The relief is made up of plateaus and depressions; soils include fertile clay, limestone outcrops, and sandy loam. The village of Onigbolo in Issaba has notably rich limestone deposits.
There are relic forests and forest patches and potential for solar energy development due to good insolation.
Governance
The commune of Pobè is administered under Benin’s decentralization law. The mayor and communal council oversee development, budgeting, and public services.Pobè is also notable for being the seat of the Plateau Department since 2016.