Industry & Retail
From The Report: Cote d’Ivoire 2019
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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, particularly in tack¬ling energy costs, training the Ivorian workforce and improving access to financing.

The modernisation of the country’s retail model and network is primarily based on rising demand driven by the emerging middle class. Retailers are gaining interest in penetrating the interior regions to access the larger population and prepare for expansion into surrounding sub-regions. To accomplish this, retailers will look to partnerships with local players in order to take on the informal play¬ers and improve logistical networks and supply chains.

This chapter contains an interview with Jean-Louis Menudier, President, Large Industrial Firms Union of Côte d’Ivoire.

Articles from this Chapter

Overview

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Interview

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Overview

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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 emerging markets, such as the Gulf states, that have the resources to invest in new technologies. Meanwhile, other regions have shown signs of so-called premature deindustrialisation. In particular, Latin America and Africa seem more vulnerable to threats…

Analysis

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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 introduced to the country, shopping malls are launching, and from 2013 to 2018 retail points and e-commerce…

Overview

E-commerce evolution: Online shopping is set to keep growing in emerging markets, despite certain cultural and logistical challenges
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