Paper short abstract:

In following second-hand cars along a business trade path connecting Europe to West Africa, it’s a new look at the African entrepreneurs – their mobility, practices and strategies – that is proposed in this paper

Paper long abstract:

This paper examines the Euro-African second-hand cars exportation business. The research's methodology, based on a 4 years study with intensive multi-sited fieldwork, is to follow the cars from their starting point in Europe to their final destination in West Africa. A special focus is developed on two important business hubs; Brussels, capital of Europe, and Cotonou, in Benin. Benin has been described as a "warehouse state", the country being an important hub for the re-exportation of goods in West Africa. Among those re-exported goods, the second-hand cars are estimated to represent as much as 9% of Benin's GDP, making this business the country's first economic activity. Only 5% of those cars stay in Benin and most of them will end their journey in Nigeria. However, for taxation purpose, almost all of them are labelled "in transit to Niger" and will illegally cross the border of Nigeria during their transfer. Many of those cars are also informally used as containers for other goods moving along this path. Second-hand goods - such as TVs, mattresses or fridges - from Europe to Benin. Rice and oil from Cotonou to Niger and Nigeria.

A close description of this trade network allows showing the intertwinement between legal and illegal, formal and informal practices along this path. It is also a good way to shed an interesting light on African entrepreneurs moving regularly between the business places of the Euro-African second-hand cars exportation business.