Côte d’Ivoire is one of Africa’s most rapidly expanding economies, with significant oil, gas and mineral reserves; a major agriculture sector; and a growing, youthful population driving the country forward. Spread across a wide range of ecosystems, from tropical rainforests to dry savannah, the former French colony is a mosaic of ethnicities, languages and religions.To address the economic ch
Forum de l’Investissement Hôtelier Africain 2020 The 2020 edition of the Forum de l’Investissement Hôtelier Africain (FIHA) will take place at the Sofitel Abidjan Hotel Ivoire on 7-9 July with the support of Accor. This builds on a highly successful and impactful regional event in Marrakech, co-hosted with the Moroccan government in February 2019 and which gathered over 300 delegates from 28…
The global economy is entering the Fourth Industrial Revolution (4IR), or Industry 4.0, based on the application of new digital and automated technologies in production processes and service delivery. These changes are presenting emerging markets with opportunities such as improved productivity, as well as risks, namely reshoring and the displacement of human labour by automation. Wealthier…
Interview: Jean-Louis Menudie What can be done to improve the current corporate tax framework in Côte d’Ivoire? JEAN-LOUIS MENUDIER: The current implementation of tax policy is not entirely aligned with the government’s goal of increasing national production. However, the private industrial sector and the administration have worked together towards overall the improvement of the tax framework.…
Although civil conflict in the early 2000s led to years of deteriorating infrastructure, Côte d’Ivoire reversed the trend back to economic growth after the country stabilised its political situation in 2011. The economy has grown at a rate of 9% per year since 2011, in part due to the emergence of its burgeoning industrial sector. Côte d’Ivoire is driven by targeted government policies…
E-commerce is now well established in developed markets, where the majority of adults make at least occasional purchases online. However, levels of activity on the whole remain relatively low in emerging countries, as these markets are restrained by a wide range of challenges, among them less-developed financial and logistical infrastructure. Nevertheless, online sales are growing rapidly…
Political stability and continued economic growth are bringing about significant development in Côte d’ Ivoire’s retail sector. The Ivorian middle class is growing, currently representing over 2m of the country’s 23m inhabitants, according to government figures, and is attracting large flows of foreign direct investments to the consumer goods segment. Production facilities are being…
Since achieving independence in 1960, Côte d’Ivoire has managed to maintain broadly friendly relations with its neighbours, its French former colonial ruler, and within a continental and multilateral context. Côte d’Ivoire has long been a player in ECOWAS, which ties the country to 14 other nations in the region. Eight countries also share membership of the West African CFA franc zone, the c
Côte d’Ivoire’s push for local processing provides the opportunity to add value beyond exportation of raw agricultural resources, specifically cocoa and cashews, thereby increasing revenue from the industrial sector. Major infrastructural projects aim to provide the required logistical environ¬ment for the emerging industrial base. Significant efforts remain necessary to increase competitiveness,…
Interview:Nasser Seklaoui What impact will the development of large malls and markets have on the sector? NASSER SEKLAOUI: The advent of new shopping malls has opened up prospects for growth across all consumer goods segments. Formerly, retailers had little leverage when negotiating leasing contracts. In the case of electronics, mall operators expected margins ranging from 20 to 25%, making…
