Good management of a country`s resources is essential to its development. Whether it is land, agricultural or humans, each element plays an important role. The Republic of Benin is situated in West Africa; its economic potential is great. Indeed, for almost 8 years, the country has made great progress in terms of industrialization, road infrastructure and land security having improved each sector thanks to the new reforms started by its government. The authors present the results of a study on the development of Cotonou, one of the most important cities in the country. Actually, it is its economic capital. We used satellite, historical and land data to show the effects of uncontrolled urbanization over a period of 30 years, the consequences of poor soil study as well as the importance of effective management of land resources for the proper development of the territory