Côte d’Ivoire remains UEMOA’s leading economy as AfDB urges faster industrialisation

Côte d’Ivoire remains the largest economy in the West African Economic and Monetary Union (UEMOA), with economic growth estimated at 6.5% in 2025, according to the African Development Bank’s 2026 country outlook. 

The performance reinforces Côte d’Ivoire’s position as one of West Africa’s main economic engines. The AfDB said the country has maintained a strong growth trajectory, but warned that sustaining this momentum will require deeper structural transformation.

The bank has identified faster industrialisation, stronger private-sector development and greater fiscal space as key priorities for the country to achieve its longer-term development ambitions.

Côte d’Ivoire is targeting upper-middle-income status by 2030. The objective is also central to the country’s 2026-2030 National Development Plan, which places strong emphasis on industrialisation, investment, infrastructure and private-sector participation. 

The challenge is to ensure that strong headline growth translates into greater domestic value creation. For the AfDB, expanding industrial capacity would allow Côte d’Ivoire to process more of its agricultural and natural resources locally, while creating more opportunities for businesses and workers.

The development of the private sector will also be critical. Côte d’Ivoire has increasingly relied on private investment to support infrastructure, industry and emerging sectors, while the government seeks to improve the business environment and mobilise more domestic and international capital.

Fiscal policy represents another challenge. The country has been working to strengthen public finances, but debt-service costs continue to place pressure on government revenues, limiting the room available for additional public spending and investment.

The International Monetary Fund has also highlighted Côte d’Ivoire’s strong economic performance over the past decade, while pointing to structural challenges including informality, economic diversification and the need for more inclusive growth. 

For Abidjan, the next phase will therefore be less about simply maintaining high growth and more about transforming that growth into industrial capacity, private investment, jobs and higher incomes.

If Côte d’Ivoire can accelerate these reforms while maintaining macroeconomic stability, the country could move closer to its goal of joining the ranks of upper-middle-income economies by 2030.