Presented during a cabinet meeting, the Integrated Mineral and Energy Resources Policy (PIRME) marks a major strategic shift for the country. The plan outlines a 38,000-billion-CFA franc (USD 67 billion) investment envelope over 15 years, with 30% dedicated to mining equivalent to 11,400 billion CFA francs to be deployed by 2040. Funding will come from both the government and private sector, although the exact breakdown has yet to be disclosed. This long-term agenda aims to deeply restructure a gold sector that has grown rapidly but still starts from a relatively modest base.
Strong growth, but still behind continental heavyweights
Over the past decade, Ivorian gold production rose from 20 tonnes in 2014 to 58 tonnes in 2024, nearly a threefold increase. According to the World Gold Council, the country now ranks 7th in Africa, behind Ghana (149 tonnes), Mali, Burkina Faso, and Guinea. Yet Abidjan’s ambitions go much further: surpassing or matching Ghana, the continent’s leading producer. To achieve this, Ivory Coast would need to triple its current output by 2040, at a time when competitors are also stepping up their game. Ghana, for example, plans to scrap a 15% VAT on exploration expenses to encourage new discoveries.
A business-friendly environment that draws global investors
If the country is still an outsider, it enjoys a decisive advantage: exceptional attractiveness to mining companies. While countries like Mali and Burkina Faso have increased state control over resources, Abidjan promotes a strong pro-investment model. According to Mines Minister Mamadou Sangafowa-Coulibaly, it takes less than five years on average to move from the discovery of a deposit to full production an extraordinary performance in West Africa. Several mining executives even describe Ivory Coast as the “best place in the world to develop a gold mine.” This climate has triggered a surge in foreign investment, fuelled by geological potential estimated at 600 tonnes of gold reserves. Major industrial projects are emerging, including Doropo, Koné, and Assafou, all expected to significantly boost national output in the coming years.
A key, though delicate, growth lever lies in integrating artisanal and small-scale gold mining into the official economy. According to SWISSAID, between 30 and 40 tonnes of gold escape state oversight every year. Incorporating even part of this informal production would immediately reshape Ivory Coast’s standing in Africa. However, this presents major challenges, including: traceability, combating smuggling, community and social management, and environmental protection. Success will therefore depend not only on industrial expansion but also on the government’s ability to formalize a complex yet essential segment of the sector.
A duel of mining models in west africa
The race for first place pits two contrasting models against one another: Ghana’s established approach, built on long-standing production and targeted fiscal incentives; Ivory Coast’s rising strategy, driven by massive investment, administrative efficiency, and gradual integration of informal actors. By incorporating energy and hydrocarbons within the same policy framework, the PIRME adopts a holistic approach rarely seen on the continent. Its outcome successful or not may redefine West Africa’s mining landscape and become a benchmark for resource-driven development strategies in Africa.
