Cote d’Ivoire has one of Africa’s biggest digital transformations and is aiming to have a paperless government by 2030.
Karen Diallo is the Director of Digital Transformation at Cote d’Ivoire’s Ministry of Digital Economy. She is at the heart of one of West Africa’s largest modernisation programs for public sector. Field (Programme d’Appui a la Reforme de l’Administration de l’Etat) project. As the country wraps up its current digital strategy and drafts a new roadmap for 2026-2030, Diallo’s team is pushing to unify services, invest in AI, support startups, and–eventually–make paper government processes obsolete.
TechCabal interviewed Diallo at the Cyber Africa Forum. In this conversation she discusses Cote d’Ivoire’s priority around artificial intelligence, local startups’ role in public procurement and why the country is betting heavily on connectivity and digital identification infrastructure. This interview has been edited to ensure clarity and length.
Could you tell us about the most important pillars in Cote d’Ivoire’s Digital Strategy?
As we close out the digital strategy for 2021-2025we are already drafting the one for 2026-2030. Three projects stand out for this phase. The first is interoperability. We’re building a platform that allows citizens to access all public services through a single platform. Second, we have the national digital identity. Third, we have launched a portal that allows people to request any public document or data in one place.
We are also investing heavily in AI, digital governance and AI. We released both strategies earlier this year, and now we are calling for investments to implement them. Rural connectivity is also a major concern, as it ensures that people outside of cities can access digital service.
Tell us more about Cote d’Ivoire’s AI strategy. What is the framework?
The framework is built on three pillars – inclusiveness, investment and governance. Each AI-related project should align with at least one pillar. We have identified health, agriculture, and education as priority sectors. However, we recognize that AI will affect all industries.
We’re currently working closely with stakeholders to define use-cases that are both impactful, and locally viable in terms of culture and infrastructure. We are also working on establishing a national AI agency to coordinate these efforts.
Your mention of support for startups is interesting. What is Cote d’Ivoire currently doing to strengthen its startup ecosystem?
If you’re a West African startup, this is the place to go. The ecosystem is booming. We passed a new law to help early-stage companies access government contracts. We’re changing this through a process we call “levelisation”which grants certified startups access to the public markets.
In addition, we launched a national hub for innovation called IvorTech. It is located in Abidjan’s Plateau district, and it’s supported directly by President’s Office. It is a resource centre for anyone who needs funding, training or basic information. The incubator on site has only recently started operating.
What other ways does the government support startups, financially or otherwise? Our support goes beyond direct funding and is structural in nature. IvorTech helps startups to develop business capabilities, access funding opportunities, and critical networks. We took 20 Ivorian startup companies to VivaTech Paris to showcase their work internationally.
CI20 is a coalition of local startups- our own unicorn pipeline – to drive innovation in fintech and healthtech. How do you approach modernisation in the government as someone who works on public digital services?
I am responsible for harmonising digital efforts across all ministries in Cote d’Ivoire. Every department has their own digital budgets and projects today, which creates inefficiencies and silos. Our role is coordination, preventing duplication, and ensuring that funds, talents, and timelines, are used effectively. We also focus on interoperability, digital identity and foundational layers that enable cross-ministerial service delivery and data sharing. What is your vision for 2030?
Zero paper. Digitising everything is the dream. To achieve this, we are building infrastructure such as a national data centre, as well as systems on the backend that allow seamless communication among government departments and digital identification for citizens. All of this creates a foundation for a paperless administration.
Which common misconception about Cote d’Ivoire’s future digital do you disagree with?
Some people say that we won’t be able to digitalise our public services in Cote d’Ivoire due to the resistance of citizens towards change. I don’t think so. It’s not the resistance, it’s the inertia. People are used doing things in a certain manner. We can overcome this reluctance with the right strategy and effective change management. We need to be patient, and we must include everyone in the process of implementing changes.
Although we’re working on a variety of projects, I’m currently focusing on education and healthcare. These are the two sectors with which I am most involved at the moment.
Is there anything else you would like the global tech community know?
Yes. We’re inviting investors from around the world to come and help us build a digital future in Cote d’Ivoire. The ecosystem is ready and the opportunities are real. Mark your calendars for
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