This is a top prospect sector for this country, as its services heavily impact the ability of other sectors to perform business activities.

Overview

Côte d’Ivoire has one of the most developed telecommunications sectors in West Africa. The telecom sector had a fast growth despite the COVID-19 pandemic.  The sector constitutes approximately 10 percent of GDP and annually contributes tax revenue of approximately $900 million.  In 2019, the national telecom regulator, Telecommunication Regulatory Authority of Côte d’Ivoire (ARTCI), updated the 2012 Telecom Code adapting it to the market realities.  The ARTCI’s 2021 annual report states the cellular penetration rate was 162.5 percent in 2021 – confirming that many of Côte d’Ivoire’s 29 million people have more than one cellular phone account.  Between 2020 and 2021, the number of subscribers increased by 10.9 percent.  Almost 100 percent of mobile accounts are pre-paid, and most people have at least two SIM cards, often for different mobile networks to benefit from advantages offered by each company.  The networks are interoperable.   

There are three major mobile phone operators (Orange (French), MTN (South African), MOOV (Moroccan)) providing service to a total of 39 million accounts.  ARTCI estimates 2G and 3G service covers over 97.5 percent of the population, and 4G service approximately 59.9 percent (especially in Abidjan).  The OpenCitiesInitiative.com estimates the greater Abidjan metro area is home to nearly six million inhabitants.  At this time, no companies offer 5G service, though the government has expressed the intention to bring 5G service online by mid-2023.  Orange; MTN; MOOV; and Wave, are the main mobile money companies.  The mobile money penetration rate is 85.3 percent.  The number of mobile money subscribers increased by 10.8 percent from 2020 to 2021.  Approximately one percent of the population has a fixed telephone line. 

Over 98 percent of Ivoirians who access the internet do so via mobile devices.  Orange, MTN, and MOOV all offer mobile internet services.  Mobile internet subscribers increased 10.8 percent between 2020 and 2021, and the sector realized a 31 percent increase in revenue.  Residential and business demand for fixed internet subscriptions is small but growing, with fixed internet subscriptions increasing 28.4 percent from 2020 to 2021 and revenue increasing by 20 percent over the same period.  Currently, only Orange; MTN; MOOV; and VIPNET are service providers.  The market comprises fixed LTE services (54 percent), ADSL (25 percent), and fiber-to-home (20 percent). 

Leading Sub-Sectors

The best prospects for potential sales include

• Wireless network equipment and related services
•  DSL equipment
• GSM solutions and applications
• Fiber-optic cables
• Billing solutions (software)
• Mobile banking technologies
• Cybersecurity solutions

Opportunities

The Ivoirian telecommunications market is growing and will need suppliers for the full range of telecommunications services and equipment, to include copper and fiber optic cables, central office switches, cellular stations, data communications satellites, microwave communication equipment, and data management solutions. American companies will also find opportunities in developing data centers and cybersecurity solutions.

Resources

• Africa IT & Telecom Forum
• Ministry of Digital Economy, Telecommunications, and Innovation  (http://www.telecom.gouv.ci/)
• Côte d’Ivoire’s Investment Promotion Centre (CEPICI)
• Association of Technology Information and Communications Operators in Côte d’Ivoire
• Union of Telecommunications Businesses in Côte d’Ivoire
• West Africa Telecommunications Regulators Assembly
• African Telecommunications Union
• African Forum for Utility Regulators
• Côte d’Ivoire Chamber of Commerce and Industry
• National Office for Technical Studies and Development (BNETD)
• Ivoirian Customs Office
• Telecommunication Regulatory Authority of Côte d’Ivoire (ARTCI)
• Biotechnology Park