Côte d'Ivoire's Economy at a Glance: GDP, Growth and Economic Structure Explained

Côte d'Ivoire (in West Africa, French-speaking, the world's largest cocoa producer) is often described as one of West Africa's fastest-growing economies. But how fast is "fast", how big is the economy, and which sectors hold it up? The latest figures published by international institutions give you the basic picture.

Size of the economy: about US$100 billion and 33 million people

According to the IMF review report published in June 2026, Côte d'Ivoire's nominal GDP was about 52.8 trillion CFA francs (about US$87 billion) in 2024, with a preliminary estimate of about 58.0 trillion CFA francs, or roughly US$100 billion, for 2025. The population was about 32 million in 2024 and about 32.9 million in 2025; GDP per capita in 2024 was about US$2,710.

Growth and macroeconomic indicators

The IMF notes that in 2025 the debt ratio fell for the first time in more than a decade, and the risk of debt distress was downgraded from "moderate" to "low". Growth is driven mainly by household consumption and investment, as well as the expansion of oil, gas and mining. On the external side, the current account deficit was only about 0.6% of GDP in 2025, and the World Bank notes that the trade surplus that year reached a ten-year high. These figures come from the IMF's sixth review, in June 2026, of its financing programme launched in May 2023.

Economic structure: services make up 60%

According to a summary by the French Treasury's Directorate General (Direction générale du Trésor) in August 2025, in 2024 the primary sector (agriculture) accounted for about 14.8% of Côte d'Ivoire's GDP, the secondary sector (industry, energy, agro-processing, construction) about 23.7%, and the tertiary sector (services) about 61.6%.

The Banque de France's annual report breaks down the sources of 2024's 6.0% growth: services contributed about 4.1 percentage points, led by financial services and trade; the primary sector about 1.2 points, from cocoa, cotton and food crops; and the secondary sector about 0.7 points, including manufacturing and extractive industries such as oil and gold. The World Bank also notes that Côte d'Ivoire is the world's largest producer of cocoa and cashew nuts, and is seeking to move from raw-material exports towards more local processing.

Three things to bear in mind when reading the data

First, estimates differ between institutions: for 2025 growth, for example, the IMF gives 6.5% and the World Bank 6.3%, so always cite your source. Second, figures for the most recent year are mostly "preliminary" and may be revised. Third, GDP in US dollars is affected by exchange rates, so when comparing years it is best to look at the CFA franc figures as well.

One line for Asian companies

Think of Côte d'Ivoire as a mid-sized, services-led economy of about US$100 billion with steady growth, then look up the detailed data for your own sector — far more useful than simply remembering "high growth".

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References: IMF – Press Release No. 26/222 (2026); IMF – Côte d'Ivoire Country Report (2026); World Bank – Côte d'Ivoire Overview (2026); Direction générale du Trésor – Situation économique et financière (2025); Banque de France – Rapport Côte d'Ivoire 2024 (2025)