Côte d'Ivoire is rapidly working on fund domicile reforms to become the private capital hub of the West African Economic and Monetary Union (WAEMU). According to AMF-Umoa's Mahamadi Balima, policymakers and investors at the Abidjan roundtable have urged pension fund mobilization and OHADA alignment to unlock billions of dollars in domestic inflows.
The push came at a high-level roundtable held at the Sofitel Hotel Ivoire in Abidjan, where more than 40 stakeholders from the investment ecosystem gathered under the banner of “Opportunities for Galvanizing Regional Cooperation in Fund Domicile for Côte d’Ivoire”. The event was organized by the Association Ivoire des Investisseurs en Capital as well as the Collaborative for Fund Domicile in Africa. It is part of a broader initiative led by Mennonite Economic Development Associates to strengthen Africa's investment architecture through locally domiciled, well-regulated funds.
Structural advantages and regulatory barriers
Côte d'Ivoire already accounts for approximately 40% of economic activity within WEMU, giving it a structural advantage as the region's most credible domicile candidate. However, stakeholders were clear that the country's capacity is constrained. Participants said regulatory harmonisation, adoption of modern fund structures – including limited partnerships – and rapid policy reform are prerequisites to meeting the expectations of global investors.
According to a press release after the roundtable, pension funds emerged as a central pressure point. IPS-CNPS Deputy Director of Investments and Financial Structure Nomel Guillaume Diby characterized institutional capital from pension funds as significantly underutilized. He said this represents a long-term domestic financing pool that if channeled through the right channels can unlock reforms.
Diversification of capital for inclusive growth
Beyond institutional capital, the roundtable examined blended finance, impact funding, angel investing and crowdfunding as tools to channel capital toward youth- and women-led enterprises that are currently deprived of traditional financing.
“Côte d'Ivoire has a unique opportunity to establish itself as a competitive fund domicile hub by mobilizing domestic capital for inclusive growth as well as aligning its regulatory framework with global standards,” said Stéphane Antwi-Asimeng, Member, Fund Domicile in Africa.
The session concluded with a call for follow-up policy dialogues and targeted engagement with institutional investors to translate the Roundtable momentum into concrete reforms and measurable capital flows.