• Government opens over 400 civil service exams for the 2026 session

• Six entrance exams announced for the École nationale d’administration de Côte d’Ivoire

• Recruitment for the 2027 intake reduced from 900 to 600 places

Côte d’Ivoire has opened more than 400 administrative recruitment exams for the 2026 session, while also announcing six entrance exams for the 2027 intake at the École nationale d’administration de Côte d’Ivoire (ENA), the country’s main training institution for senior public administration officials, according to the Ministry of Public Service. The announcement was made in Abidjan by Minister of State in charge of Public Service and Administrative Modernization Anne Désirée Ouloto on March 11, 2026, during the official launch of the competition cycle.

According to the ministry, the 2026 session includes 199 exams for direct recruitment into the civil service and 224 professional promotion exams for existing public employees. The competitions target several priority sectors including public finance, engineering, demography, agriculture and specialized medical services, where the administration is seeking additional personnel.

Six entrance exams will be organized for the ENA to recruit around 600 students for the 2027 intake, including three direct-entry exams offering 450 places and three professional exams providing 150 places across the school’s three training cycles. This represents a reduction from the 900 places offered during the previous recruitment cycle, reflecting a more selective intake aligned with the government’s staffing needs.

Online registration for the administrative and ENA competitions will run from March 16 to April 30, 2026, while written examinations are scheduled between May and August 2026 depending on the recruitment category.

Authorities also confirmed that the temporary extension of the maximum age limit for candidates will remain in place, raising the cap to 42 years for grades D1 to A3 and 47 years for grade A4, a measure intended to widen access to public service careers.

The recruitment drive is part of broader efforts by the Ivorian government to adjust civil service staffing while maintaining competitive recruitment through the ENA. According to World Bank data, public sector reforms in the country have increasingly focused on improving administrative efficiency while maintaining fiscal discipline, as the government seeks to balance public employment needs with budget sustainability.

By Cynthia Ebot Takang