Retail

Political stability and continued economic growth are fuelling the development of the retail industry. This is attracting new consumer goods manufacturers to the country and driving the development of new shopping outlets with diverse offerings to cater to changing consumer habits. The number of retail points is growing through both brick-and-mortar expansion and e-commerce platforms, as more Ivorians – especially in the major cities – gain access to the internet. Competition is also picking up in modern retailing as international players look to expand their networks of both large-scale supermarkets and hypermarkets. Abidjan has been the main focus of this development, however, as the market matures vendors will likely allocate more resources to less-developed areas.

This chapter contains an interview with Nasser Seklaoui, Director-General, SOCIAM/NASCO.