Ivory Coast Unveils Its Integrated Mineral and Energy Resources Policy

Map of Côte d'Ivoire with icons representing mineral and energy resources.

AFRICAN BUSINESS AND ECONOMYNovember 11, 2026 at 12:09 PM UTC

TLDR

Côte d'Ivoire unveiled its Integrated Mineral and Energy Policy (PIRME) on November 9, 2026.
The plan calls for 38,000 billion CFA francs in investments over 15 years to double the sector's contribution to GDP by 2040.
It aims to transform the country into a mining and energy powerhouse, with a strong emphasis on local processing and domestic content.

Côte d'Ivoire officially unveiled its Integrated Mineral and Energy Policy (PIRME) on November 9, 2026. Spearheaded by President Alassane Ouattara, this ambitious strategy calls for 38,000 billion CFA francs in investments over fifteen years. Mamadou Sangafowa-Coulibaly, Minister of Mines, Petroleum, and Energy, unveiled this plan aimed at transforming the national economy.

PIRME aims to make extractive and energy resources the country’s second-largest economic driver by 2040, alongside agriculture. It is based on an integrated approach in which mining, oil, and electricity are developed jointly. This synergy is essential, as the mining industry requires abundant energy and infrastructure, while revenues from extractive industries can finance industrial transformation. The minister described this policy as a “paradigm shift” for the extractive and energy industries.

The numerical targets are significant, with the ambition to double the sector’s contribution to GDP, rising from 7% in 2025 to approximately 14% in 2040. Oil production is expected to reach 500,000 barrels per day in 2040, up from 80,000 barrels per day in 2026, and natural gas supply will increase from 320 to 1,000 million cubic feet per day. Electricity capacity will triple with an additional 8,000 MW, and a new 6.1-million-metric-ton refinery is planned by 2032.

This policy is crucial for investors and businesses, as it opens up opportunities in exploration, the development of energy and mining projects, and the construction of major infrastructure. It calls for natural gas pipelines connecting Abidjan to Bouaké and San Pedro, as well as a 474-kilometer railway line between San Pedro and Man. Côte d’Ivoire seeks to reduce its dependence on imports and strengthen its position as a West African energy hub, while requiring a high level of local content—with 95% of the workforce consisting of Ivorians and 95% of services contracted to local companies.

Côte d’Ivoire intends to move beyond its role as a mere exporter of raw materials to become a mining and energy powerhouse by 2040. In particular, the country aims to become Africa’s leading gold producer by 2035, with the creation of the Ivorian Precious Metals Company (SIMEP) to refine gold locally. Local processing and domestic content are key pillars for transforming this industrial ambition into sustainable economic development.

Key Takeaways

The Integrated Mineral and Energy Resources Policy (PIRME) represents a major strategic initiative for Côte d'Ivoire, signaling a profound economic transformation beyond its traditional role as an agricultural exporter. By aiming to double the contribution of mining, hydrocarbons, and energy to GDP by 2040, the country is embarking on a path of industrialization and diversification. PIRME’s integrated approach, which links the development of mineral, oil, and electricity resources, is crucial for creating synergies and optimizing the use of extractive revenues to finance infrastructure and local processing. This ambitious policy, backed by 38,000 billion CFA francs in investments over fifteen years, aims to make Côte d’Ivoire a regional energy and extractive powerhouse, reducing its vulnerability to imports and consolidating its position as a West African hub. The emphasis on local mineral processing, increasing refining capacity, and promoting domestic content, with targets of 95% for local employment and services to Ivorian companies, is fundamental to ensuring that the benefits of this growth directly benefit the Ivorian economy and population, marking a true “paradigm shift” for the country.

Côte d'Ivoire

PIRME

Mines

Énergie

Hydrocarbures

Investissements

Développement économique

Afrique de l'Ouest