The onset of a Covid-19-induced global recession has affected both labour markets and financial flows around the world. At the confluence of these two are remittances, which have increasingly been among the top contributors to GDP in many emerging markets over recent decades. The issue is particularly pertinent for the countries located in the so-called “yellow slice” of the global economic…
After contracting by 10% in 2016, the new vehicle market grew by 9% in 2017. This recovery continued in 2018 when the sector expanded by 14%, with a total of 11,376 units sold. This strong performance can be attributed to a combination of factors, including the resumption of public orders; resumed activity in the construction sector; increased agricultural production, particularly of cocoa,…
As Côte d’Ivoire seeks to consolidate its position as the leading financial centre in West Africa, the environment for private equity funds has been improving in recent years. Not only is the country’s economic capital Abidjan home to the Bourse Régionale des Valeurs Mobilières (BRVM), the regional exchange for the eight countries of UEMOA, but Côte d’Ivoire’s economic rebound from…
The Bourse Régionale des Valeurs Mobilières (BRVM) is the capital market of the UEMOA, which brings together Benin, Burkina Faso, Côte d’Ivoire, Guinea Bissau, Mali, Niger, Senegal and Togo. The BRVM began operating in 1998 with 35 companies listed on its equity compartment. As of the end of 2018 there were 46 listed companies, including 35 Ivorian companies, and 40 bond lines made up…
The economic situation in UEMOA remained favourable in 2018. The region’s average GDP growth was 6.6%, the seventh consecutive year above 6%, and the average annual inflation rate was 0.9%, compared to 1.1% the previous year. However, with strong capital spending and trade terms turning unfavourable following a rise in global oil prices, this was accompanied by a high fiscal deficit, estimated…
As providers operating in Côte d’Ivoire’s insurance sector look for strategies to increase their market penetration, much focus is being directed to the role that product innovation could play in boosting demand. Product diversification is primarily led by the private sector; however, upcoming regulatory changes mean the segment is set to be advanced by the public sector. Côte d’Ivoire’s…
Alongside the development of generation capacity, much of the energy sector’s priorities in recent years have revolved around improving transmission and distribution. Although Côte d’Ivoire has one of the largest electricity networks in West Africa, expanding access and efficiency has at times proven to be a challenge, and efforts to improve transmission and distribution infrastructure…
With a renewed focus on promoting its hydrocarbons potential, Côte d’Ivoire is aiming to bring fresh investment to the exploration and development of its oil and gas resources. Although the country has the hydrocarbons-rich Gulf of Guinea along its shores, sizeable discoveries have eluded oil companies in recent years. “We have had small oil and gas discoveries in Côte d’Ivoire, but…
The global spread of Covid-19 in the first half of 2020 occurred at a somewhat slower pace on the African continent than elsewhere, but brought similar disruptions to business and social life. The virus was first detected in Côte d’Ivoire in mid-March, and one month later the country had one of the highest infection rates in sub-Saharan Africa. Ivorian authorities responded with a number…
The sustainability of cocoa production in Côte d’Ivoire has become one of the top priorities of both public and private stakeholders. Chief among the segment’s concerns are increasing the incomes of cocoa farmers and achieving a more equitable distribution of the value generated by the global cocoa industry. Other sustainability initiatives key to the public agenda include those intended…
