Construction & Real Estate

As Côte d’Ivoire continues to recover from the instability of the previous decade, construction remains a key driver of growth, with a swath of new projects either launched or planned in various sectors, including several that form part of the government’s main infrastructure programmes. There have been some bottlenecks, however, particularly in terms of project delivery. The outlook for the short and medium term is encouraging, with the government stressing capital spending and the economy posting strong figures. As is the case throughout the region, real estate demand in Côte d’Ivoire is generally high, surpassing existing offerings in most, if not all, segments. Thus, public and private initiatives to expand real estate offerings are likely to continue. Progress on the government’s large-scale social housing programme has been slow, but action on home loans may help it pick up speed. The development of the new industrial areas will also provide space for firms to set up shop. This chapter contains interviews with Stefan Heeb, Former CEO Côte d’Ivoire-Guinea, LafargeHolcim; and Kinapara Coulibaly, Director-General, National Office for Technical and Development Studies.