Abidjan, Up Close: What On‑the‑Ground Partnership Reveals About Building Stronger Institutions
- Jason Doucet
- Jan 21
- 4 min read
Why this perspective — and why now
This week marks my third mission as Team Lead in Abidjan with CPA Without Borders. Each visit reinforces the same conclusion: in emerging markets, financial credibility and strong transparency and accountability standards remain the foundation of trust, collaboration, and long‑term investability. Africa’s 2026 outlook is often discussed in macroeconomic terms—growth projections, infrastructure investment, and demographic trends—but these indicators do not fully capture what partners and investors evaluate when assessing readiness. On the ground, reliability matters most: disciplined processes, responsible resource management, and governance frameworks that can sustain ongoing commitments. Abidjan offers a clear vantage point into this reality, combining structural economic resilience with an expanding logistics ecosystem and institutions actively reinforcing their operational and governance maturity. [1][2][14]
Abidjan’s signal: capacity, connectivity, and institutional progress
The Port of Abidjan continues to evolve through sustained local leadership and long‑horizon investment. Deepened access, a second container terminal (CIT) designed for vessels with a sixteen‑metre draft, and the deployment of fully electric handling equipment are reshaping capacity and service levels. In 2024, the port processed more than forty million tonnes and approximately 1.6 million TEU, with additional electric cranes commissioned in 2025 to support throughput. All of this underscores Abidjan’s intent to serve as a reliable West African logistics hub and a constructive partner for regional trade. [7][8][9][10][11]
Infrastructure, however, delivers the most value when matched by institutional capability. Confidence grows when financial information is decision‑useful, internal controls function consistently, and governance practices encourage clear oversight. In markets undergoing modernization, these qualities often determine which organizations scale effectively and which partnerships mature into multi‑year programs. Abidjan’s progress on these fronts is incremental but meaningful. [3][4][11]
What investors and partners look for today
Across sectors, ESG has shifted from a communications exercise to an operating discipline. Investors and lenders now rely on contextual, comparable, and reliable information to evaluate readiness—credible financial reporting, consistent controls, and governance structures aligned to growth, compliance, and continuity. These expectations have converged internationally even as regulations differ by jurisdiction, because they help all parties make better, faster, and lower‑risk decisions. In a multipolar economy where supply chains are diversifying, organizations that demonstrate both operational and financial reliability become natural partners for new routing and sourcing strategies that increasingly consider the Abidjan corridor. [3][4][5][6][12]
The “S” and the “G,” in practice: supporting organizations that defend women and children
During this mission, I am collaborating through CPA Without Borders with organizations that protect and advocate for the rights of women and children. These missions are central to community stability and require dependable financial and governance practices. Our shared focus is practical and capacity‑building: strengthening financial credibility, enhancing internal controls, improving reporting accuracy, and reinforcing transparency and accountability standards so that funders, lenders, and institutional partners can rely on the numbers and the processes behind them. These improvements reduce uncertainty, strengthen partnerships, and support more resilient impact—outcomes aligned with broader regional priorities around governance, responsible resource management, and inclusive development. [13][5][14]
Shared global pressures, local progress
West Africa is dealing with the same climate‑related pressures affecting many regions: water stress, heat, and flooding that influence operations, insurance, and capital decisions. Leading organizations are pairing transition objectives with credible adaptation planning, integrating resilience into governance and financial structures in ways that support continuity. Geopolitical shifts, meanwhile, reward institutions capable of demonstrating oversight, discipline, and data integrity. Where reporting is reliable and controls are strong, collaboration becomes easier and more durable. Abidjan’s progress illustrates how these operational and institutional improvements reinforce one another. [3][4][5][6][12]
Why this matters for global organizations and decision‑makers
For global organizations evaluating new markets, diversifying supply chains, or strengthening governance across their operations, the conditions observed in Abidjan offer practical guidance. The progress underway—improved port capacity, maturing institutional processes, and clearer expectations around transparency—illustrates environments where disciplined governance and reliable financial reporting become strategic advantages. Leaders making cross‑border decisions increasingly need partners capable of demonstrating these fundamentals, not only to meet compliance requirements but to ensure continuity, resilience, and execution excellence. My on‑the‑ground work in Côte d’Ivoire provides insights into how these capabilities develop, how organizations can strengthen them effectively, and how global firms can evaluate potential partners with confidence as they pursue growth across emerging markets.
Abidjan’s evolution highlights a region strengthening both its infrastructure and its institutional maturity. Across markets, one principle remains constant: financial credibility, reinforced by transparent and accountable governance, is what turns possibility into durable partnership. As I begin this mission, this remains the focus of my work—and it is where enduring value continues to take shape.
Sources
[1] SSCG Group — Africa Business Review, January 2026: https://sscg-group.com/insights/f/sscg-africa-business-review-january-2026-edition
[2] Brookings — Foresight Africa 2026:https://www.brookings.edu/collection/foresight-africa-2026/
[3] S&P Global — Top 10 Sustainability Trends to Watch in 2026:https://www.spglobal.com/sustainable1/en/insights/2026-sustainability-trends
[4] Rimm Sustainability — ESG at a Crossroads: 2026:https://rimm.io/blog/esg-at-a-crossroads-2026-trends-and-insights-for-navigating-a-shifting-sustainability-landscape/
[5] EY — Top 10 Geopolitical Developments in 2026:https://www.ey.com/en_gl/insights/geostrategy/geostrategic-outlook
[6] BCG — The Geopolitical Forces Shaping Business in 2026:https://www.bcg.com/publications/2025/geopolitical-forces-shaping-business-in-2026
[7] U.S. International Trade Administration — Côte d’Ivoire: Port of Abidjan Expansion & Modernization:https://www.trade.gov/market-intelligence/cote-divoire-port-abidjan-expansion-and-modernization
[8] APM Terminals — Côte d’Ivoire Terminal (CIT):https://www.apmterminals.com/cit/about/our-terminal
[9] Xinhua — 75th Anniversary of the Port of Abidjan:https://english.news.cn/africa/20250912/765fcb7345324c4491c3cadd2aa44a37/c.html
[10] Port Autonome d’Abidjan — Electric STS & RTG Cranes:https://www.portabidjan.ci/en/news/abidjan-port-boosts-its-capacity-acquisition-2-ship-shore-cranes-and-9-rubber-tyred-gantry
[11] Ecofin Agency — Additional Terminal Details:https://www.ecofinagency.com/news-infrastructures/1807-47744-port-of-abidjan-cote-d-ivoire-terminal-adds-new-electric-cranes-to-boost-capacity
[12] Latham & Watkins — ESG & Sustainability Insights 2026:https://www.lw.com/en/insights/esg-and-sustainability-insights-10-things-that-should-be-top-of-mind-in-2026
[13] CPA Sans Frontières — Mission Description and Capacity‑Building Projects:https://en.cpasansfrontieres.ca/
[14] CPA Africa Conference — Governance and Reform Initiatives:https://www.kerrfatou.com/cpa-africa-conference-wraps-up-in-banjul-with-landmark-resolutions/
About the Author
Jason Doucet - Principal Advisor & Founder, Doucet Global Strategies
Jason Doucet, CPA, is the founder of Doucet Global Strategies, a consultancy specializing in strategic advisory for globally operating organizations. With deep expertise in international business, cross-border taxation, and governance, Jason supports multinational enterprises, NGOs, and institutional investors with high-level, tailored solutions.
