Cotonou keeps UTC+1 (WAT) all year. There is no daylight saving time, so the clock never changes.
Cotonou and your time
Cotonou at a glance
| Country | Benin |
|---|---|
| Region | Littoral |
| Time zone | Africa/Porto-Novo |
| Abbreviation now | WAT |
| UTC offset now | UTC+1 |
| Daylight saving time | Not observed |
| Coordinates | 6.37° N, 2.42° E |
Cotonou time zone and clock changes
Local time in Cotonou is UTC+1 year round, under the Africa/Porto-Novo rules. Clocks have not changed for the seasons here since at least 1970.
All of Benin keeps the same time, so Cotonou reads the same clock as Porto-Novo.
Clock changes in Cotonou, 2026 and 2027
No clock changes are scheduled in Cotonou for 2026 or 2027.
Cotonou time compared with major cities
A 9:00 AM start in Cotonou is 3:00 AM in New York, 7:00 PM in Sydney and 12:00 AM in Los Angeles.
| City | Time now | Difference now | In January | In July | Shared office hours |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| New York (United States) | --:-- | 6 h behind | 6 h behind | 5 h behind | 2 h |
| Los Angeles (United States) | --:-- | 9 h behind | 9 h behind | 8 h behind | None |
| London (United Kingdom) | --:-- | 1 h behind | 1 h behind | Same time | 7 h |
| Paris (France) | --:-- | Same time | Same time | 1 h ahead | 8 h |
| Dubai (United Arab Emirates) | --:-- | 3 h ahead | 3 h ahead | 3 h ahead | 5 h |
| Mumbai (India) | --:-- | 4 h 30 min ahead | 4 h 30 min ahead | 4 h 30 min ahead | 3 h 30 min |
| Singapore | --:-- | 7 h ahead | 7 h ahead | 7 h ahead | 1 h |
| Tokyo (Japan) | --:-- | 8 h ahead | 8 h ahead | 8 h ahead | None |
| Sydney (Australia) | --:-- | 10 h ahead | 10 h ahead | 9 h ahead | None |
| UTC | --:-- | 1 h behind | 1 h behind | 1 h behind | 7 h |
Cotonou never changes its clocks, but many of these cities do. Where the January and July columns disagree, the gap shifts when the other city moves to or from daylight saving time.
Shared office hours is the part of a 9 AM to 5 PM local working day that both cities have in common. Weekends are not taken into account.
Sunrise, sunset and day length in Cotonou
Today
| Sunrise | --:-- |
|---|---|
| Sunset | --:-- |
| Day length | -- |
| Solar noon | --:-- |
Day length barely moves in Cotonou, from 11 hours 45 minutes to 12 hours 30 minutes. Sunrise and sunset shift by less than an hour across the year.
Daylight through the year in Cotonou
| Date | Sunrise | Sunset | Day length | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| March equinox | March 20 | 6:55 AM | 7:01 PM | 12 h 7 min |
| June solstice | June 21 | 6:37 AM | 7:07 PM | 12 h 30 min |
| September equinox | September 23 | 6:40 AM | 6:46 PM | 12 h 6 min |
| December solstice | December 21 | 6:56 AM | 6:41 PM | 11 h 45 min |
Clock time and sun time in Cotonou
The clock in Cotonou runs ahead of the sun. Solar noon, the moment the sun is highest, comes at about 12:50 PM on standard time. That is why sunrise and sunset both come late here.
Cities near Cotonou
All the places listed below keep the same time as Cotonou.
| City | Distance | Time now | Difference |
|---|---|---|---|
| Abomey-Calavi | 12 km (7 mi) | --:-- | Same time |
| Porto-Novo | 25 km (16 mi) | --:-- | Same time |
| Irewe (Nigeria) | 80 km (50 mi) | --:-- | Same time |
| Ota (Nigeria) | 97 km (60 mi) | --:-- | Same time |
| Abomey | 102 km (64 mi) | --:-- | Same time |
| Agege (Nigeria) | 105 km (65 mi) | --:-- | Same time |
| Lagos (Nigeria) | 108 km (67 mi) | --:-- | Same time |
| Ebute Ikorodu (Nigeria) | 121 km (75 mi) | --:-- | Same time |
Same time now, different rules
These places read the same time as Cotonou today but follow different rules, so they can drift apart when clocks change.
More cities in Benin
All time zones and cities in Benin
Plan around the time in Cotonou
- Convert a time to or from Cotonou: pick a date and time and see it in every city on your list.
- Add Cotonou to your world clock to keep it next to your own time.
- Find a meeting time that falls inside office hours in Cotonou and the other cities you work with.
- Open a full-screen clock for your own time zone.
Frequently asked questions
What time zone is Cotonou in?
Cotonou uses the Africa/Porto-Novo time zone, which is UTC+1 (WAT) all year.
Does Cotonou use daylight saving time?
No. Cotonou stays on UTC+1 all year, so the time difference to places without daylight saving time never changes.
What is the time difference between Cotonou and New York?
Cotonou is 6 hours ahead of New York in January and 5 hours ahead of New York in July, because New York moves its clocks for daylight saving time and Cotonou does not.
Is Cotonou on the same time as Porto-Novo?
Yes. Cotonou and Porto-Novo both use UTC+1 right now.
How long is the longest day in Cotonou?
About 12 hours 30 minutes, around the June solstice. The shortest day, around the December solstice, has about 11 hours 45 minutes of daylight.
Why is the sun not highest at noon in Cotonou?
Clock time follows the time zone, not the sun. Cotonou lies west of the line its offset is based on, so solar noon comes at about 12:50 PM on standard time.
Time zone rules: IANA tz database, version 2026e. Place names and coordinates: GeoNames. Sunrise and sunset are calculated from the coordinates and can differ by a minute or two from local almanacs.