According to data from the Ministry of the Economy and Finance, chemistry-plastics-pharmacy alone accounts for 43% of manufacturing industries excluding agri-food. A share which makes it the leading sub-branch of the secondary sector, far ahead of materials (21%) and textiles (12%). Heavyweight, the plastic industry weighs 275 billion FCFA, including 95 billion for the plastic packaging segment alone. 2018, compared to 388,000 tonnes in 2024, an increase of 8% per year. On the employment side, the sector employs several thousand positions. The leading national player, Plastica CI has more than 100 million euros in turnover, 2,694 employees, 18th among the largest employers in the country. On the export front, plastic bottles and flasks made in Ivory Coast generated $17.8 million in 2023, destined for Burkina Faso, Mali and Senegal. As a result, Ivory Coast has become the second largest investor in plastic technology in West Africa, behind Nigeria.

A sector facing its contradictions

Under this dynamic veneer, fragilities persist. Less than 10% of the 200,000 tonnes of plastic waste annually are recycled. However, the State banned non-biodegradable bags in 2014, and signed an agreement with manufacturers to create 1,890 jobs in recycling. In October 2024, during the Packaging Fair, the government brought the subject back to the profession, making plastics processing a pillar creating added value, with a goal of transforming half of Ivorian agricultural production by 2030.

Note that the Ivorian plastics industry holds a trump card, namely its regional roots. The African packaging market is estimated at $43.48 billion in 2024. A window of opportunity that Ivory Coast wants to seize. But to become a real driver of structural transformation of the economy, the sector must invest more in retraining, technology and training. In short, finding your second wind.