Banikoara is a town, arrondissement, and commune situated in the Alibori Department of Benin. It is located approximately 69 kilometers west of Kandi, positioned within the country's most productive cotton-growing region.
The name Banikoara is a Europeanized version of a Bariba phrase that translates to "Bani's town." The name serves as an honorific for the town's founder, Bani Gansé.