Cotonou, BENIN – 29 July 2026 – Benin Textile S.A. (Btex), whose principal shareholders include the Caisse des Dépôts et Consignations du Bénin (CDC Benin) and Arise Integrated Industrial Platforms (Arise IIP), has launched OBALÈ, a premium home linen collection entirely designed and manufactured in Benin using locally grown Beninese cotton.
OBALÈ responds to the growing demand for premium home linen by offering an elegant, high-quality, locally made alternative to imported products. The brand caters to both private customers and the hospitality sector, as well as premium residential developments and institutional clients, with products designed and manufactured in Benin to the highest quality standards.
The launch was marked by the inauguration of the brand’s first flagship store, located on Airport Road in Cotonou, during a ceremony attended by several distinguished guests, including Mr Olushegun Adjadi Bakari, Minister of Tourism and Foreign Trade, responsible for Industry and the Promotion of Private Investment; Mrs Shadiya Alimatou Assouman, Minister of Domestic Trade, responsible for the Formalisation of the Economy; Mr Nicolas Yenoussi, Delegate Minister to the Minister of Economy and Finance, responsible for Finance and Microfinance; Mr Hugues Oscar Lokossou, Delegate Minister to the Minister of Economy and Finance, responsible for External Resource Mobilisation and Debt Management; Dr George Elombi, President of Afreximbank; Mr Gagan Gupta, Founder and Chief Executive Officer of Arise IIP; Mr Eric Akouté, Director General of the Investment and Export Promotion Agency (APIEx); Mrs Maryse Lokossou, Director General of the Caisse des Dépôts et Consignations du Bénin (CDC Benin); as well as numerous institutional partners, business leaders and distinguished guests.
Just three (3) months after the launch of SUSU, its first home linen brand targeting the affordable segment, Btex is taking another major step in its growth with the introduction of OBALÈ. The company now offers a comprehensive range that spans the entire home linen market, from everyday essentials to premium collections—all entirely designed and manufactured in Benin.
As West Africa’s leading cotton producer, with 533,590 tonnes of seed cotton produced during the 2025/2026 season, according to the Regional Programme for Integrated Cotton Production in Africa (PR-PICA), Benin is renowned for producing one of Africa’s finest natural cotton fibres, recognised for its softness, strength and exceptional quality. For decades, this cotton was exported primarily in its raw form. Today, thanks to the integrated textile ecosystem developed within Glo-Djigbé Industrial Zone (GDIZ), it is transformed locally into high value-added finished products.
OBALÈ’s bed linen, towels, pillowcases and bathrobes are crafted from carefully selected Beninese cotton and manufactured to rigorous industrial standards, delivering outstanding comfort, durability and finishing comparable to those of the world’s leading premium home linen brands.
Milind Bhortakke, Managing Director of Benin Textile S.A.:
“OBALÈ is far more than the launch of a premium home linen brand. It demonstrates our ability to transform one of the world’s finest cotton fibres into internationally competitive products, entirely manufactured in Benin. Our ambition is to offer our customers premium-quality products while contributing to Benin’s industrialisation and the creation of local value.”
Maryse Lokossou, Managing Director of the Caisse des Dépôts et Consignations du Bénin (CDC Benin):
“The Caisse des Dépôts et Consignations du Bénin invested in the textile manufacturing units within Glo-Djigbé Industrial Zone to ensure that Beninese cotton is transformed locally. OBALÈ is a tangible illustration of the results of that investment: finished products manufactured in Benin and marketed under a Beninese brand. This is precisely the kind of impact we strive to achieve.”
Gagan Gupta, Founder and Chief Executive Officer of Arise IIP:
“Value creation does not stop at manufacturing. Manufacturing allows you to compete on cost, but it is the brand that captures value. That is where African industry must go—from manufacturing to building global brands. OBALÈ is a significant step in that direction. We firmly believe that together we can achieve far more. With OBALÈ, we dare to think bigger.”
Létondji Beheton, Managing Director of SIPI-Benin S.A.:
“The launch of OBALÈ perfectly embodies the vision behind Glo-Djigbé Industrial Zone: to move Benin from being an exporter of raw materials to becoming a producer of high value-added manufactured goods. Every OBALÈ product reflects our commitment to industrialisation, job creation, local value addition and the emergence of globally competitive brands proudly made in Benin.”
About OBALÈ
OBALÈ is the premium home linen brand of Benin Textile S.A. (Btex). Crafted in Benin from locally grown Beninese cotton, the brand offers a collection of bed linen, towels, pillowcases and bathrobes that combine exceptional quality, comfort and durability for both individual customers and the hospitality sector, including hotels, premium residences and institutional clients.
About Btex
Benin Textile S.A. (Btex) is an integrated textile company based within Glo-Djigbé Industrial Zone (GDIZ) in Benin. With the Caisse des Dépôts et Consignations du Bénin (CDC Benin) and Arise Integrated Industrial Platforms (Arise IIP) among its majority shareholders, the company transforms Beninese cotton into high value-added textile products for domestic, African and international markets. Through its brands SUSU, serving the accessible segment, and OBALÈ, positioned in the premium segment, Btex aims to establish Benin as a regional leader in home linen by showcasing local industrial expertise and producing textiles that are proudly Made in Benin.
Press Contact
Irmine Gnidehou Tokplo
Communications Director – SIPI-Benin S.A.
irmine.gnidehou@arisenet.com
