Cote d'Ivoire

In early September a delegation from CEPICI, the national investment promotion agency, held talks in Shanghai with Xinyi Glass on a US$150 million plant to make vehicle windshields and mirrors. A feasibility study is planned for October, and the plant would be Xinyi's first factory in Africa. The talks are part of CEPICI's effort to close the gap between approved and completed investments; FDI inflows were about US$1.7 billion in 2024.

The Rio Times · 2026-09-12

On 1 October the West African Development Bank (BOAD), the WAEMU's development lender, presented its loans, guarantees and equity products to Ivorian companies, aiming to lend more to the private sector. Foreign-owned firms registered locally with bankable projects can apply directly or through banks BOAD refinances. This adds a source of long-term local-currency credit for entrants.

The Rio Times · 2026-10-01

The US State Department's 2026 Investment Climate Statement, published in September, says the government has no formal investment screening and generally gives foreign investors the same treatment as nationals. Some sectors, including travel agencies, still need prior approval, licences and an Ivorian partner. Entrants in those sectors should allow for partner and licensing requirements in their entry plans.

US Department of State · 2026-09-29

From the start of the 2026/27 cocoa season, the Coffee and Cocoa Council (CCC), the sector regulator, requires every purchase to be recorded electronically against a farmer's registered card and mapped plot. The aim is to meet the EU deforestation regulation, which applies to large and medium operators from around the end of December 2026. Field reports from 9 September described too few payment terminals and slower transactions, and industry participants warned of possible supply disruption in October and November. Exporters, grinders and logistics firms should plan for compliance delays.

SusInsight (with Reuters reporting from August) · 2026-09-10

The government confirmed a guaranteed farmgate price of CFA 1,200/kg for 2026/27, 57% below the 2,800 paid at the start of last season. The price was set to keep the forward-sales system solvent and make Ivorian beans cheaper for buyers. This helps grinders and exporters on input costs but cuts the income of more than a million cocoa farmers.

African Arguments · 2026-10-08

At its 9 September meeting the BCEAO, the regional central bank, kept its main policy rate at 3.00%, the marginal lending rate at 5.00% and bank reserve requirements at 3.00%. These levels have applied since the March 2026 cut, so borrowing costs for entrants across the eight-country CFA franc monetary union (WAEMU) have not changed, although the bank says it is watching prices more closely.

Financial Afrik · 2026-09-09

The Treasury's 2026-2031 economic programme framework, finalised on 25 September, projects 6.2% growth in 2026, inflation of 2.2% and a budget deficit of 3.8% of GDP. The IMF projects higher inflation (3.3%) as oil and fertiliser costs rise, and has backed a temporary widening of the deficit target from the 3% regional ceiling. Entrants should therefore expect demand to stay strong but price pressure to be firmer than the near-zero inflation of 2025.

CapMad / Rio Times (citing IMF) · 2026-09-25

The National Assembly opened its second ordinary session on 1 October. The main business is reviewing and voting the 2027 state budget, which must reflect the 2026-2030 development plan with its roughly CFA 115 trillion investment programme. The tax schedule attached to the budget is the main place where changes affecting foreign firms would appear. Separately, no significant security or labour developments were identified in the window.

KOACI · 2026-10-01