Côte d’Ivoire’s inovation strategy

The Stratégie d’Innovation de la Côte d’Ivoire was published on 22 October 2021 by the Ministère de l’Économie Numérique, des Télécommunications et de l’Innovation. It provides a comprehensive framework for positioning innovation as a driver of Côte d’Ivoire’s economic and social development by 2025 and beyond.

The strategy responds to challenges identified in previous national development plans and aims to address weaknesses in the country’s innovation ecosystem. It underscores the need to transform Côte d’Ivoire from a technology consumer to a technology producer. The document reflects lessons from past policies and global benchmarks such as the Global Innovation Index, where Côte d’Ivoire ranked 114th out of 132 in 2021.

A national diagnosis highlighted both strengths and weaknesses. Strengths include a young population, growing mobile money usage, dynamic entrepreneurship, and emerging incubators. Weaknesses involve inadequate infrastructure, low research productivity, poor coordination, insufficient funding, and limited innovation culture. The strategy also considers external opportunities such as increased digitisation, youth entrepreneurship, and international support, while noting threats like economic instability and limited financial resources.

To tackle these challenges, the strategy identifies five strategic axes with twelve priority “chantiers” (initiatives):

1. Institutional and legal framework: Establishes a National Innovation Committee and a Promotion Cell, sets up a legal framework for startups, and enhances intellectual property support.
2. Infrastructure: Expands incubators, creates FabLabs and startup nurseries, and supports the development of innovation hubs such as the Grand-Bassam technopole and smart cities.
3. Financing and support: Operationalises the Fonds Ivoirien de l’Innovation, promotes alternative financing (e.g. venture capital, business angels), and introduces a dedicated Startup Promotion Fund.
4. Skills and talent: Focuses on embedding an innovation culture, aligning academic programs with market needs, enhancing technology learning, and supporting startup project incubation within universities.
5. Priority sectors: Targets digital technologies, agriculture, industry, life sciences, renewable energy, environment, logistics, resilient urban development, and financial services.

By 2025, the strategy aims to:

• Increase the number of startups incubated annually;
• Multiply startup investments tenfold;
• Multiply patents awarded to Ivoirians by ten;
• Improve the country’s global innovation index ranking to under 50th;
• Rank first in Sub-Saharan Africa on the same index.

Implementation will be coordinated by MENUTI through a National Innovation Committee, supported by a dedicated directorate for planning and monitoring. Regular progress assessments will guide adjustments, and an observatory will monitor the innovation ecosystem.

Overall, the strategy is designed as a national framework to align sectoral efforts, improve institutional coordination, and stimulate inclusive, sustainable growth through innovation.