Ivory Coast plans US$46M project to strengthen national flour milling capacity
The project is expected to add new capacity to the country’s established flour milling industry.
IVORY COAST – Ivory Coast is set to strengthen its flour milling capacity through a proposed US$46 million (CFA 26 billion) investment by local company Moulin Koira de Côte d’Ivoire, as the country seeks to expand domestic food processing and reinforce its position as a regional milling hub.
The strategic venture was detailed in Abidjan following a meeting between MKCI Chief Executive Officer Cessé Komé and officials from the Centre for Investment Promotion in Côte d’Ivoire (CEPICI).
The new facility aims to meet rapidly growing domestic and regional demand for processed grain products across West Africa.
According to estimates from the US Department of Agriculture (USDA), national wheat consumption is projected to reach 806,000 tons for the 2026/2027 marketing year, driven by a 34% surge in demand over recent years.
Rapid urbanization and a thriving commercial bakery industry, which currently generates roughly US$167 million in annual revenues, have accelerated reliance on wheat flour.
Because Ivory Coast does not produce wheat locally, expanded domestic milling infrastructure is vital to process imported raw grain into value-added flour for bakeries and consumer markets.
Beyond boosting domestic supply, the US$46 million facility will reinforce Abidjan’s status as a central trading hub within the West African Economic and Monetary Union (WAEMU).
The country acts as a key exporter of processed flour to neighboring landlocked nations, with Burkina Faso receiving over 80% of Ivory Coast’s re-exported wheat products.
By increasing primary processing output, MKCI’s project will improve regional food supply chains while shielding local markets from price volatility associated with importing finished flour.
This development reflects a broader wave of capital deployment in West Africa’s agro-industrial ecosystem.
The project follows recent technical developments in the Ivorian industrial landscape, including the completion of integrated milling facilities by international engineering firms such as the Alapala Group. The facility includes a mill with a production capacity of 250 tons of flour per day and six silos with a total storage capacity of 15,000 tons of grain.
Government investment promoters have signaled strong support for MKCI’s expansion, highlighting its potential to generate direct industrial jobs, stimulate related commercial logistics, and improve national food sovereignty.
The planned investment comes as Ivory Coast’s milling sector is closely linked to regional wheat trade.
The country does not produce wheat commercially, meaning mills rely entirely on imported grain, much of which enters through the Port of Abidjan.
The proposed facility would therefore operate within an import-dependent value chain, converting imported wheat into flour for domestic consumption and potentially regional markets.
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