Dynamic, stable, regionally integrated: Cote d’Ivoire is one of Africa’s most attractive investment destinations

With its strong economic fundamentals, political stability, and access to regional markets, Côte d’Ivoire is one of Africa’s most attractive investment destinations, say the partners of Ofori Conseils Africa LLP, a cutting-edge, pan-African legal, business, and tax independent law firm based in Abidjan and specialising in the OHADA and WAEMU regions.

“Our firm is committed to acting as a trusted partner to investors, financial institutions, and African businesses, helping them structure, secure, and successfully implement their investments across the OHADA & WAEMU regions,” says Assemian Faustin Kouakou, Managing Partner of Ofori Conseils Africa LLP, in charge of Corporate M&A OHADA | Competition & FDI WAEMU.

Renowned as a leading dealmaker across the OHADA region, Assemian has nearly two decades of experience, including leading the legal function of a pan-African banking and insurance group operating in 12 countries, and the regional OHADA office of a law firm operating across North, West, and Central Africa.

He established OCA with a belief in pragmatic business law that lifts people up and propels economic performance, and a vision of helping clients secure, structure, and scale their projects in Cote d’Ivoire and across Francophone sub-Saharan Africa, in a complex, ever-changing legal and regulatory environment.

“Our practice is deeply rooted in the OHADA legal framework, covering 17 member states, and the sub-regional regulatory frameworks of the WAEMU and CEMAC, enabling us to assist clients seamlessly on cross-border transactions throughout West and Central Africa, including the Democratic Republic of Congo,” says Innocent Kouakou, who is the Tax partner at OCA, and brings more than 18 years of experience. “Our firm is particularly well positioned to assist clients on cross-border transactions and strategic investments, acting as a bridge between international investors and the realities of doing business in Francophone Africa.”

Dr Francky Lukanda, who recently joined OCA as partner in charge of Banking & Finance, Infrastructure and Natural Resources, and likewise has nearly two decades of experience across Francophone Sub-Saharan Africa’s jurisdictions, notes that the legal and business landscape in Côte d’Ivoire has evolved significantly in recent years compared to other Francophone jurisdictions in West and Central Africa, driven by sustained economic growth, major infrastructure investments, and increasing foreign direct investment; all these occurring in the back drop of strategic regulatory reforms and exceptional government efficiency which facilitate placing the country among the top destinations for foreign investment in Francophone Sub-Saharan Africa.

“The country has consolidated its position as a regional economic hub, with Abidjan serving as a strategic base for companies operating across West Africa and Francophone Sub-Saharan Africa in general,” he says. “At the same time, the regulatory environment has become more structured and sophisticated, particularly in areas such as competition law, financial regulation, local content and data protection requirements as well as strategic sector oversight, creating both opportunities and complexity for investors.”

That is where Ofori’s high level of experience and cutting-edge expertise in business and tax law, alongside the partners’ nuanced understanding of local, regional, and international trade dynamics, and pragmatic, strategic approach comes to the fore.

“Ofori is one of the few Ivorian and OHADA law-focused firms that bring together integrated expertise in business law, competition & FDI law, taxation, finance, energy, mining and oil & gas law, as well as infrastructure and natural resources,” says Innocent. “We do not only provide technical legal advice; we help clients structure and execute their transactions efficiently while anticipating regulatory, tax, and operational risks.”

The firm is committed to supporting investors, institutions and African champions to seize the many great opportunities on offer in Côte d’Ivoire and the wider region, acting not only as legal advisors but as long-term strategic partners as their clients successfully invest, grow, and operate across Francophone Sub-Saharan Africa.

For more information on Ofori Conseils Africa, visit the firm's website.