On July 20, Côte d’Ivoire unveiled a bold economic roadmap for 2026, placing local private enterprises at its core. These homegrown national champions are expected to transition the nation from a state-driven growth model to an economy powered by its own private sector leaders.

Four strategic sectors to watch

The government has carefully selected enterprises across four high-potential industries: natural cosmetics, digital banking, fuel distribution, and aviation. Kaera, a trailblazer in organic beauty products, currently employs 600 people and has expanded its reach to 30 international markets. Meanwhile, Djamo, the fintech disruptor launched in 2020, has already amassed 2 million users, showcasing the rapid ascent of digital financial services. Petro Ivoire, a key player in fuel distribution, rounds out the quartet of selected firms aimed at boosting local value addition.

This strategic pivot aligns with the National Development Plan 2026-2030, which targets an average annual growth rate of 7.2% by 2030. The plan emphasizes creating robust local value chains and fostering sustainable employment in sectors with high growth potential.

Over $80 billion in international commitments secured

In July, the Ivorian government secured commitments exceeding $80 billion to fund the PND 2026-2030. These funds will support critical infrastructure projects, private sector development, and strategic industry growth initiatives.

The PEPITE-CI 2030 program, spearheaded by the Ministry of Finance, provides tailored support to high-potential enterprises. In December 2025, the first cohort identified 27 winning companies, offering them technical, financial, and strategic assistance to accelerate their expansion.

Côte d’Ivoire’s growing economic landscape

With 15 years of steady growth fueled by public investments in infrastructure and agriculture, Côte d’Ivoire stands as the world’s leading cocoa producer and a West African economic powerhouse. The PND 2026-2030 marks a decisive shift toward a private-sector-led economy, especially amid heightened regional competition from countries like Ghana and Senegal.

This new strategy arrives as neighboring nations such as Senegal implement similar initiatives—like the Plan Sénégal Émergent—to diversify their economies through national champions. Côte d’Ivoire is leveraging its demographic dynamism and strategic location to attract foreign investment and reinforce its regional influence.

Building a competitive regional economy

The government’s vision is to cultivate a robust ecosystem of enterprises capable of competing on both regional and global stages. The goal is to reduce reliance on raw material exports and nurture high-value-added local industries.

While the timeline for rolling out support mechanisms for future PEPITE-CI cohorts remains unspecified, the success of this strategy hinges on the ability of selected companies to sustain growth and generate large-scale employment in the coming years.