Côte d’Ivoire is accelerating efforts to become a leading fund domiciliation hub in Francophone West and Central Africa, following a high-level roundtable that brought together policymakers, regulators, and investors to accelerate efforts aimed at unlocking private capital flows into the region. Fund domiciliation, the legal establishment of investment funds within a jurisdiction, is a critical lever for retaining capital locally and strengthening domestic financial markets.
During the Roundtable held at the Sofitel Hotel Ivoire in Abidjan, more than 40 stakeholders from across the investment ecosystem convened to explore how regulatory alignment and innovative fund structures can position the country and the broader WAEMU region as a competitive destination for domestic, regional, and international capital.
Held under the theme “Galvanising Regional Collaboration Opportunities in Fund Domiciliation for Côte d’Ivoire,” this roundtable forms part of an initiative led by the Mennonite Economic Development Associates (MEDA), which is working to strengthen Africa’s investment landscape through locally domiciled, transparent, and well-regulated funds.
Côte d’Ivoire, which accounts for approximately 40% of economic activity within WAEMU, is emerging as a regional leader. However, stakeholders emphasised that unlocking its full potential will require accelerated policy reform, regulatory harmonisation, and the adoption of modern fund structures, including limited partnerships, to meet global investor expectations.
Mr. Mahamadi Balima, Senior Research Officer and Head of Sustainable Finance at AMF-UMOA, emphasized the importance of a transparent and investor-friendly regulatory framework, while Mr. Nomel Guillaume Diby, Deputy Director of Investments and Financial Structuring at IPS-CNPS, highlighted pension funds as a still underutilized source of long-term domestic capital.
Discussions focused on how Côte d’Ivoire can leverage its regulatory leadership and strategic position within WAEMU and OHADA to:
Strengthen regulatory frameworks to attract fund managers
– Unlock institutional capital, particularly from pension funds
– Expand access to finance for youth- and women-led enterprises through alternative investment vehicles
Stakeholders also explored innovative funding pathways, including blended finance, impact funds, angel investing, and crowdfunding, as critical tools to bridge financing gaps for underserved businesses.
“Côte d’Ivoire has a unique opportunity to establish itself as a competitive fund domiciliation hub by aligning its regulatory framework with global standards while mobilising domestic capital for inclusive growth,” said Stephen Antwi-Asimeng, member of the Collaborative for Fund Domiciliation in Africa.
The Roundtable was convened by the Collaborative for Fund Domiciliation in Africa in partnership with the Association Ivoirienne des Investisseurs en Capital (AIIC), building on ongoing efforts to translate research into actionable policy and market reforms across Africa.
The engagement concluded with a strong call for sustained collaboration, including follow-up policy dialogues and targeted engagements with institutional investors, to ensure momentum translates into tangible reforms and increased capital flows to high-impact sectors