Côte d’Ivoire draws investment in wheat milling

The economics are straightforward: Côte d’Ivoire does not grow wheat, so every tonne processed by its mills has to be imported. That makes the country vulnerable to global grain prices and freight costs, but also creates a growing domestic value chain around milling, baking and distribution as consumption rises.

USDA data show wheat consumption in Côte d’Ivoire has climbed nearly 34% in three years, from 580,000 tonnes in 2022/23 to about 777,000 tonnes in 2025/26, with another increase to 806,000 tonnes forecast for 2026/27. The agency also pegs the country’s bakery sector at about $167 million in annual revenue, underscoring why industrial groups see room to expand capacity.

The investment comes as other players move ahead as well. In August, Turkey’s Alapala said it had completed the design, equipment supply and construction of a new integrated complex for Moulin Sako, including a mill capable of producing 250 tonnes of flour a day and six silos with 15,000 tonnes of storage. The buildout points to a broader shift from importing finished flour toward processing more of the value chain locally.

Côte d’Ivoire’s role is not limited to its home market. With the Port of Abidjan and transport corridors into landlocked neighbors, the country is also becoming a regional redistribution hub for wheat and flour. USDA data show reexports reached 65,034 tonnes in 2024/25, up 18% from the prior year, with Burkina Faso taking 81% of the total.

That matters for investors because the story is no longer just about food consumption. It is about import volumes, milling margins, port logistics and regional trade flows in a market where urbanization is lifting staple demand and where industrial capacity is still catching up.

The next test is execution: the location, capacity and timetable for MKCI’s mill have not yet been disclosed, while global wheat prices, shipping costs and West African crop conditions will continue to shape returns for processors and traders.