• Côte d’Ivoire launches fourth PNSAR to boost youth employability

• Programme targets 152,237 youths with $47 million budget

• Internships, apprenticeships offer stipends at minimum wage

Côte d’Ivoire on Wednesday launched the fourth edition of its National Internship, Apprenticeship and Retraining Programme (PNSAR), a government initiative aimed at boosting youth employability and easing access to the labour market. The scheme falls within the framework of the country’s broader 2023–2025 Youth Programme.

Implemented by the Ministry of Youth and Professional Integration through the Youth Employment Agency (AEJ), the PNSAR 2026 targets 152,237 young people, including 100,000 work placements in companies. The programme is backed by a budget of 26.52 billion CFA francs, or about $47.4 million, and combines internships, apprenticeships and retraining to equip participants with practical, job-ready skills.

From 2026, stipends for skills-training internships will be standardised at the national minimum wage of 75,000 CFA francs per month, regardless of the host employer, according to an official statement. Partner companies will continue to benefit from tax incentives, reinforcing their role in facilitating young people’s entry into the workforce.

Speaking at the launch, Prime Minister Robert Beugré Mambé urged young people to take full advantage of the programme, describing it as a set of tangible opportunities built on commitment and confidence in the future. He said the PNSAR demonstrates the government’s commitment to investing in the potential of Ivorian youth to secure stronger long-term employment prospects.

The announcement comes at a time when Côte d’Ivoire’s youth unemployment rate for those aged 15 to 24 remains relatively low at around 3.9% in 2024, but continues to mask structural challenges in access to quality, formal jobs.

Launched in 2022, the PNSAR was designed to strengthen youth employability and support labour market entry. In 2025, the programme planned 142,702 training, internship and corporate placement opportunities, including 102,702 managed by the AEJ. As of this year, 83,370 young people had been placed, representing an implementation rate of 81.2%.

Félicien Houindo Lokossou