• Minimum pension to rise from 30,000 to 60,000 CFA in 2026
• Accrual and replacement rates raised to strengthen retirement security
• Orphan’s pension expanded to reach 1,836 children by 2026

The Ivorian Council of Ministers approved reforms to the Private Sector Workers’ Pension Scheme (RGTS) on Wednesday, October 1, 2025. The changes are designed to improve benefits for retirees and their families while giving today’s workers more secure retirement prospects.

Key measures include doubling the minimum pension from 30,000 to 60,000 CFA francs, starting in 2026, benefiting 39,156 people. The minimum proportional pension will rise from 30,000 to 37,000 CFA francs, covering 6,027 beneficiaries.

The accrual rate will also increase from 1.7% to 2% per year for the first 15 years of an employee’s career, before reverting to 1.7% from the 16th year onward, impacting 7,050 contributors.

In addition, the government decided to remove the cap on the replacement rate, raising it from 50% to 100% to improve pension security, especially for long-service workers.

The orphan’s pension has also been expanded: it can now be paid when a child loses either parent, and minors under 21 may receive it alongside the surviving spouse. This change is projected to expand coverage from fewer than 200 children today to 1,836 by 2026.

In recent years, Côte d’Ivoire has introduced multiple pension reforms across both public and private systems — including raising contribution rates, extending retirement age, and launching a supplementary funded scheme to provide retirees with additional income.

Ingrid Haffiny