In brief
Côte d'Ivoire announced its Integrated Mineral Resources and Energy Policy (PIRME) to raise 38 trillion CFA francs by 2040, aiming to double the extractive and energy sectors’ share of GDP to 14 %. The policy foregrounds private‑sector financing, ambitious production targets, local processing, and a focus on renewables and sustainable development.
On Monday, Abidjan, the Côte d'Ivoire government unveiled the Integrated Mineral Resources and Energy Policy—PIRME—marking a decisive shift toward a diversified economy that could reorient the country’s output away from agriculture’s dominance. The plan forecasts mobilising 38 trillion CFA francs—roughly $66 billion—by 2040 to expand mining, petroleum and power segments, transforming the combined contribution of these sectors to nearly 14 % of national GDP. It frames the extractive and energy industries as a secondary pillar that will underpin industrialization, technology use, and regional trade.
Central to PIRME’s financial blueprint is a clear delineation of private and state funding. The government projects that 88 % of the total investment package will emanate from the private sector, with the remaining fraction supplied by public finance and external cooperation grants. This split reflects a policy preference for market‑led capital deployment while preserving a strategic state stake in critical pipelines, granting the Ministry the oversight required to ensure regulatory compliance and long‑term sustainability across the mining and energy landscapes.
Key infrastructure milestones outlined within the policy include the construction of a modern mineral port at San Pedro—a hub designed to streamline export logistics—and new railway corridors that will connect inland mining fields to coastal outlets. Additionally, the government plans a second oil refinery in that same port city to enhance domestic refining capacity, which is critical for keeping a larger share of crude within national supply chains. These projects will harness both civil engineering and supply‑chain optimization techniques to reduce transportation costs and improve supply security.
In the energy arena, PIRME sets an ambitious trajectory for production growth. By 2040, the country aims to generate 500,000 barrels of oil per day and install 11,400 MW of electricity generation capacity, of which at least 45 % is expected to derive from renewable sources by 2030. Identified renewable streams include onshore wind, solar farms, and hydroelectric plants, each benefiting from technology transfer agreements drawn up through forthcoming public‑private partnerships. These targets are quantitative measures of the country’s transition toward a cleaner, diversified energy mix.
On the mineral front, the policy cements extraction objectives for gold and manganese. The state seeks to refine 150 tonnes of gold annually, while processing 1.25 million tonnes of manganese each year, the majority of which will be refined domestically. For both minerals, value‑addition will occur through local smelting facilities and beneficiation plants, thereby reducing raw exportiosity. The aim to process the bulk of production at home is an explicit attempt to elevate domestic industrial capabilities and retain economic gain within Côte d'Ivoire.
Critical to the socioeconomic sketch of the program is workforce localization. By 2035, PIRME declares that at least 95 % of goods and services required by the extractive industry will be sourced from local suppliers, while nationals will constitute 95 % of the workforce on oil platforms and in industrial mines. To meet these thresholds, the policy envisions intensive up‑skilling curricula, apprenticeship schemes, and partnerships with local technical colleges, all structured under the Ministry’s oversight.
Beyond industrial targets, the policy weaves sustainability and equity into its framework. It pledges to balance mineral development with agricultural expansion, ensuring that land use for mining and energy projects does not encroach on productive farmland. Environmental protection measures include monitoring of biodiversity corridors, water‑quality safeguards for rivers downstream of mines, and a cap on deforestation rates. The plan also proposes funds earmarked for social inclusion initiatives, thereby attempting to distribute the economic boom more evenly across regions.
The policy’s official adoption came via a Council of Ministers decree on 3 December 2025, positioning PIRME as the overarching coordination instrument for the mining, oil and energy sectors. Its formal unveiling on 10 November 2026 in Abidjan marks a further step toward implementation, with executive commissions scheduled to roll out sector‑specific plans and attract external investors. These commissions are tasked with translating the high‑level metrics into detailed project charters, permitting regimes and investment incentives.
Concurrent diplomatic and economic developments reinforce PIRME’s trajectory. During the launch of the International Mining and Energy Round‑Table in Gaborone on 31 July 2026, a memorandum of understanding covering the mining and energy sectors was signed, outlining joint technology transfer programs and shared financing mechanisms. The agreement is a formal declaration of cross‑border cooperation aimed at improving mine productivity, aligning sustainability standards, and mutual capacity building across the participating nations.
Complementing the high‑level policy, researchers in Côte d'Ivoire are advancing localized solutions to mitigate illegal gold mining damage. Their work concentrates on developing water‑purification technologies that address contamination caused by unregulated artisanal operations, restoring farmland that has been damaged by toxic runoff. By moving from detection to remediation, the research provides a practical application for the policy’s emphasis on indigenous processing and environmental stewardship, while also fostering community engagement through technology transfer.
