Côte d’Ivoire secures funding to boost cashew processing industry

The Groupement des transformateurs de cajou ivoiriens (GTCI), representing national operators processing 100,000 metric tons of raw cashew nuts annually, welcomed the signing of a financing agreement on June 11, 2026. This agreement was established between the Banque nationale d’investissement (BNI), the Conseil du Coton et de l’Anacarde (CCA), and local processors.

The initiative marks a significant milestone in Côte d’Ivoire’s push for industrialization within the cashew sector. By investing their own capital in building and expanding processing facilities, Ivorian operators are driving value addition, strengthening the national economy, and reducing reliance on raw material exports.

In a formal letter dated July 17, 2026, addressed to the Office of the President, the Vice-President, Prime Minister Robert Beugré Mambé, the Vice Prime Minister, the Minister of Industry, the BNI, and the CCA, the GTCI—through its president, Denis Kouadio—expressed deep appreciation for the authorities’ and institutions’ role in creating this groundbreaking financing mechanism. This structure ensures stable access to raw cashew supplies and covers processing costs for local operators, addressing critical challenges such as securing sufficient volumes during the commercialization season and managing annual production needs.

The GTCI highlighted that this tripartite agreement is a transformative step for the industry. It is designed to enhance local processing capacity, secure raw material supply for industrial units, and improve access to financing for processors across Côte d’Ivoire.

The financing model is structured to provide 20% of each processor’s annual raw cashew nut requirements at the start of the season, guaranteed by the CCA. The remaining 80%, along with working capital needs for operations and exports, will be financed by the BNI through a dedicated credit facility.

The GTCI president also recognized the leadership of key officials instrumental in implementing this initiative, including Vice Prime Minister Téné Birahima Ouattara, Minister of Commerce and Industry Khalil Konaté, Minister of Economy and Finance Adama Coulibaly, CCA Director General Mamadou Berté, BNI CEO Youssouf Fadika, and BNI Deputy CEO Jérôme Ahua. Their collaboration was essential in creating this innovative and sustainable financing model to support national investors in the cashew processing sector.

This pioneering program, designed to foster the growth of national champions in local cashew processing, is now setting the stage for broader economic impact. Discussions are underway to adapt this financing model to the cocoa sector, aiming to replicate its success and provide similar support to cocoa processors in Côte d’Ivoire.

As the world’s leading producer of raw cashew nuts, with an annual output of approximately 1.5 million metric tons, Côte d’Ivoire now hosts 37 processing facilities boasting a combined installed capacity of over 830,000 metric tons. The country ranks second globally in cashew kernel exports and is the third-largest processor, according to 2025 data from the International Trade Centre (ITC).

Having successfully expanded raw cashew production, Côte d’Ivoire is now focused on accelerating local processing. The goal is to retain greater value within the country, bolster industrial infrastructure, and generate more jobs for its citizens.