• Côte d’Ivoire has signed an agreement with the National Investment Bank to support diaspora-led projects.
• The deal includes tailored banking products, financing, and financial education for Ivorians abroad.
• Remittances from the diaspora reached about $1.04 billion in 2024, according to the World Bank.

Côte d’Ivoire has signed a framework agreement with the National Investment Bank (BNI) aimed at strengthening financial support for projects led by the Ivorian diaspora and encouraging its participation in the country’s economic development.

The agreement was signed on March 6 under the supervision of Adama Dosso, minister delegate in charge of African Integration and Ivorians Abroad.

According to information reported by the Ivorian Press Agency (AIP), the partnership provides for the creation of banking products and financial services tailored to Ivorians living abroad. It also includes financing for investment projects as well as financial education and capacity-building initiatives. BNI will also take part in forums and initiatives aimed at mobilizing the diaspora.

Dosso said the Ivorian diaspora represents an important lever for the country’s economic growth and transformation, particularly through the financial transfers it sends to Côte d’Ivoire each year.

Ivorians living abroad are estimated at around 1.24 million people, or about 5.4% of the national population, according to government data. Often described as the country’s “32nd region,” the diaspora is increasingly viewed as a key actor in socioeconomic development.

In recent years, authorities have introduced several reforms to better mobilize this potential, including the creation of the Directorate General for Ivorians Abroad within the ministry responsible for African integration. The government has also organized missions, forums, and seminars to collect the diaspora’s concerns and identify potential investment projects.

According to World Bank data, remittances from the Ivorian diaspora reached about $1.042 billion in 2024, compared with $440 million in 2021, underscoring their growing role in financing the national economy.

Charlène N’dimon