When companies grow past a certain level, they see to scale, discover new markets, penetrate and gain
a share of these markets.
Benin, a country which meets all the economic, political, demographic and
infrastructural requirements for investment, is a gold mine for any ambitious company.
Prior to setting up in a country, companies and organizations conduct a market survey. They consider
several factors, including economic growth, political stability, geographic and demographic conditions,
market size and trends, and sociocultural factors such as beliefs, attitudes and lifestyles before taking
any decision.
However, there is one key element that is often neglected in such market research. Language, which is closely linked to culture, is often overlooked when compared to other factors. And yet, it is one of the most decisive elements when conquering a new market.
The relationship people have with a product, their views on a brand or their interest in a service could be influenced by a linguistic factor as simple and commonplace as the choice of a product or service name.
In light of this, a service that goes beyond mere translation and incorporates a cultural dimension becomes a necessity. This service is called localization and differs from translation in several respects. Localization is the process of adapting a product or service to a specific region. It involves translation into another language, but also adaptation to the norms and rules of a target region or market.
Benin is a multilingual country that also has several ethnic groups. Its sociolinguistic and sociocultural subtleties are sometimes difficult for foreigners to grasp. It is therefore necessary to provide companies with a general overview of Beninese culture and languages as well as other information that could help them adapt their products, services and content to Benin in particular.
This guide is intended to be a reference on localization for companies, translators and language service providers working in the Beninese context.
