COTE D ' IVOIRE : TECH HUB ON THE RISE
PRESIDENT ALASSANE OUATTARA ’ S ADMINISTRATION SEEKS TO MAKE ABIDJAN A BUSINESS HUB THAT CAN COMPETE WITH SENEGAL ’ S DAKAR AND LAGOS IN NIGERIA
Companies are taking note , and beginning to follow the government ’ s lead . Gemalto , the world leader in digital security , opened its first office in west Africa in Abidjan in early 2015 .
Telecommunications company MTN has expanded its operations in Côte d ’ Ivoire , including a € 120m investment to upgrade its network by 2017 , while Standard Chartered Bank established its first west Africa office in Abidjan in late 2015 . The Orange telecoms group has also decided to set up its first start-up development programme in Africa in Abidjan . The project will seed and nurture emerging businesses in the sector , according to Orange spokeswoman Vanessa Clarke .
Digital dividends
The Ivorian population is seeing benefits from the digital development policy drive . Mobile phone penetration has now surpassed the 100 percent penetration rate , while internet connections have skyrocketed . The number of internet subscriptions has increased 40 times between 2011 and 2015 from 200,000 to 8 million .
These positive trends are likely to continue as President Alassane Ouattara ’ s administration seeks to make Abidjan a business hub that can compete with Senegal ’ s Dakar and Lagos in Nigeria .
However , the country still lags some way behind rivals Senegal and Rwanda – two countries which have implemented successful digital development strategies – on the Global Innovation Index .
Further digital infrastructure improvements , including the development of fibre optic cables and improved 4G access in rural areas , are also in the works . An additional 5,000 km of fibre optic cables are already scheduled to be installed by the end of 2017 . Côte d ’ Ivoire is increasingly “ the most credible competitor to Nigeria for the status of wcest Africa ’ s business technology hub ”, according to Maja Bovcon , west Africa analyst at Verisk Maplecroft .
Combined with the 2012 investment code , which offers a variety of tax incentives and reductions , and investments in tech infrastructure , it is getting easier and cheaper for companies to set up shop in Abidjan and elsewhere in Côte d ’ Ivoire .
“ Côte d ’ Ivoire has shown the political will to attract foreign capital and has created a technological and digital hub that benefits the entire region ,” explains Christophe Lepoivre , vice president for West and Central Africa for Gemalto .
“ Abidjan is an excellent location to open an office ,” he adds . Provided the forthcoming constitutional referendum and the 2020 elections do not undermine political stability in Côte d ’ Ivoire , tech-fuelled business looks set to be a cornerstone in rebuilding the country ’ s image as the ‘ economic miracle ’ in west Africa . - ThisIsAfrica
26 Business Times Africa | 2016