Financial transfers from the Ivorian diaspora have significantly increased over the past fifteen years. Estimated at 165.8 million dollars in a previous period, they reached 316.7 million dollars in 2019, and are now standing at around 1.4 billion dollars. However, a large part of these resources are still oriented towards households’ social expenses, particularly in the areas of health, education, and housing. During the launch of the “Diaspora for Growth” forum on May 7, 2026 in Abidjan, authorities emphasized the need to better direct these flows towards productive investments.
According to the figures presented on this occasion, only 10 to 15% of diaspora transfers are currently used to finance productive projects. According to Adama Dosso, the Minister Delegate for African Integration and Ivorians Abroad, the mobilizable potential exceeds 1 billion dollars per year. The government’s stated objective is to shift these transfers from primarily family support to a tool for financing income-generating and value-added projects.
A large diaspora, financial potential still largely unoriented towards production
The Ivorian diaspora represents more than 1.2 million people spread across 140 countries, according to data presented at the forum. A significant portion of this population lives in West Africa, particularly in Burkina Faso, Mali, and Ghana. Additionally, over 240,000 Ivorians reside in countries like France, Italy, and the United States. For the authorities, this international presence represents both a pool of skills and a potential source of capital to mobilize for economic development.
To support this direction, the government aims to establish a secure, incentivizing, and transparent framework. The “Diaspora for Growth” forum is presented as a platform for connecting the state, the private sector, and Ivorians abroad to promote the emergence of high-impact projects. In this perspective, two international events are announced: a roadshow in Milan on June 6, followed by an economic forum in Paris on June 26 and 27, 2026. The challenge for the authorities is to transform a growing portion of this financial potential into concrete investments for the Ivorian economy.
