Abidjan, June 3, 2026 – Alassane Koné, the technical advisor to the Minister of Communication and President of the Higher Council for Advertising (CSP), recently underscored the Ivorian authorities’ firm resolve to modernize the nation’s advertising sector. The objective is to transform it into a significant engine for economic development. Koné’s remarks came during the “Tout savoir sur” (TSS) discussion forum, organized by the Government Information and Communication Center (CICG) on Tuesday, June 2, 2026.

Amidst the profound shifts brought about by the digital era and the escalating complexities of advertising oversight, the CSP president highlighted that regulating digital advertising stands as one of the institution’s foremost challenges today.

He identified three primary hurdles impeding effective digital advertising regulation: the rapid pace of technological advancements, the inherently cross-border nature of digital platforms, and the critical need for highly skilled human resources to ensure robust content monitoring.

“The digital landscape evolves at a much faster rate than traditional regulatory mechanisms can keep up,” Koné explained. He further emphasized the inherent difficulty for national authorities to govern platforms whose operations extend far beyond national borders.

To proactively address these burgeoning challenges, Koné noted that Côte d’Ivoire has already taken a crucial step forward with the enactment of Law n°2022-979 on December 20, 2022, which establishes the legal framework for audiovisual communication.

This landmark legislation now mandates that influencers boasting over 25,000 subscribers adhere to the same rules governing audiovisual communication, with oversight provided by the High Authority for Audiovisual Communication (HACA).

The technical advisor to the Minister of Communication also stressed the paramount importance of safeguarding consumers from deceptive advertising content. To this end, he reiterated that Ivorian law requires all advertisers to submit their campaigns for prior approval by the CSP’s Control and Validation Commission (CCV).

Despite these measures, the CSP president expressed concern over the persistent prevalence of irregular advertising practices. He issued a stern warning that offenders face severe penalties, ranging from fines equivalent to 3 to 5 percent of their turnover, to criminal prosecution that could result in up to two months of imprisonment.

Presently, Côte d’Ivoire’s national advertising market accounts for less than 1 percent of the Gross Domestic Product (GDP), generating approximately 30 billion CFA francs. This figure pales in comparison to some neighboring countries, which report significantly higher performance despite operating in sometimes less developed markets.