Since political stability returned in 2011, Côte d’Ivoire has ranked among Africa’s strongest economies. Now the country aims to make its growth more inclusive and sustainable. To that end, Finance and Budget Minister Adama Coulibaly presented a “national strategy for taxing carbon emissions” on May 28, 2026.
Emissions rising, carbon intensity falling
Driven by economic expansion, Côte d’Ivoire’s greenhouse gas emissions more than doubled between 2011 and 2024, from 9 to 18.8 million tonnes. “This trend is largely due to dependence on fossil fuels, growth in transport, industrialisation and agricultural activities,” Coulibaly noted. Over the same period, GDP rose faster, from $35 billion to nearly $87 billion. Consequently, the carbon intensity of the Ivorian economy declined, indicating the country is already on a path toward energy transition. Per capita emissions remain low globally: 0.65 tonnes per year, compared with about 5 tonnes in France, 8 tonnes in China and over 13 tonnes in the United States.
Why Abidjan wants to speed up decarbonisation
Nevertheless, the government insists Côte d’Ivoire must do its part in the global climate effort. Rising temperatures, disrupted rainfall patterns and more frequent environmental hazards are already affecting many activities, especially agriculture, which employs nearly half the population. The country has therefore set an ambitious target: significantly reduce its carbon footprint by 2035 while sustaining annual growth above 7%. In its third Nationally Determined Contribution (NDC), published in 2025, Côte d’Ivoire plans a 33% cut in greenhouse gas emissions using its own resources, and up to 74% with international financing and support.
How the carbon tax will be deployed
The carbon tax will support this decarbonisation trajectory. Implementation will occur in three phases. From 2026 to 2027, the government will adopt the legal and technical framework, followed by introduction at a moderate rate in 2028–2029. The rate will then rise gradually until 2035, before a phase of evaluation and adjustment. The new tax will primarily target fossil fuel consumption, except for butane gas. By making these fuels more expensive, it should encourage reduced usage. Government estimates indicate that a rate of €50 per tonne of CO₂ would cut national emissions by 1.2 million tonnes—6% of their 2024 level. The government acknowledges the measure could have negative short-term economic effects. The ministry expects the tax to raise fuel prices and weigh on growth in the early years of implementation.
Serving transition, jobs and the most vulnerable
Revenue from the tax is meant to offset these negative impacts, particularly by accelerating decarbonisation of energy use. Priority will be given to expanding electricity access nationwide. Some funds will subsidise the purchase of electric or gas cookers to reduce reliance on charcoal. The tax will also boost electric vehicle adoption through tax incentives, targeted exemptions and the rollout of charging infrastructure. The government also intends to limit the reform’s impact on the poorest households. A portion of the revenue will be directly redistributed to low-income families. Additionally, these funds will finance green job creation and retraining programmes for sectors affected by the ecological transition. The carbon tax thus fits squarely into the priority of the 2026–2030 National Development Plan (NDP): reconciling economic growth, social justice and environmental protection.