Public procurement in 2024: a controlled progression in the service of public performance.
The dynamics of public procurement in Côte d'Ivoire strengthened in 2024, reflecting the government's progress in public investment governance, contractual transparency, and support for the national entrepreneurial ecosystem.
According to data released by the Minister of Communication and government spokesperson, Mr. Amadou Coulibaly, during the Council of Ministers held on April 9, 2025, 5,510 contracts were approved by the end of December 2024, compared to 5,288 at the same time the previous year, representing a growth of 4.2%.
In financial terms, the cumulative amount of approved contracts reached 1,403 billion CFA francs, compared to 1,102 billion CFA francs in 2023, indicating a significant increase of 27.3%. This development illustrates the acceleration of investment projects in a macroeconomic context characterized by the recovery and consolidation of productive public spending.
An analysis of the structure of procurement procedures reveals a favorable evolution in terms of transparency. Indeed, competitive procedures, including open and restricted tenders, accounted for 66.2% of the total financial volume of contracts, compared to 61.4% in 2023, marking an increase of 4.8 percentage points.
Conversely, non-competitive procedures saw their share reduced to 32.1% in 2024, down from 36.3% a year earlier, reflecting a decline of 4.2 percentage points. This evolution aligns with the government's commitments to fostering a more transparent and equitable business environment.
The share of contracts awarded through direct negotiation, often perceived as sensitive in terms of governance, also decreased, falling from 14.8% to 12.7%, a drop of 2.1 percentage points, in line with international standards for good public financial management.
Regarding Small and Medium Enterprises (SMEs), their share in value of awarded contracts decreased from 45.4% at the end of December 2023 to 34.9% in 2024, a decline of 10.5 percentage points. However, in terms of quantity, SMEs experienced remarkable growth, winning 4,165 contracts compared to 3,130 a year earlier.
Moreover, the number of awarding SMEs saw a remarkable increase, rising from 1,108 in 2023 to 1,803 in 2024, an increase of 62.7%. This result reflects the impact of public policies aimed at economic inclusion, the development of the local entrepreneurial fabric, and the democratization of access to public procurement.
Source: Government Portal Côte d'Ivoire, Web Portal MEPD Editorial Team
