Abidjan, June 3, 2026 – The Ivorian authorities are firmly committed to modernizing the nation’s advertising sector, aiming to transform it into a significant engine for economic development. This commitment was recently reaffirmed by Alassane Koné, Technical Advisor to the Minister of Communication and President of the Higher Council for Advertising (CSP), during the “Tout savoir sur” (TSS) exchange forum, organized by the Government Information and Communication Center (CICG) on Tuesday, June 2, 2026.
Amidst the profound shifts brought about by digital advancements and the escalating challenges in advertising regulation, the CSP President emphasized that overseeing digital advertising stands as one of the institution’s primary hurdles today.
Mr. Koné highlighted three critical obstacles confronting effective regulation: the rapid pace of digital technological evolution, the inherently cross-border nature of digital platforms, and the crucial need for a highly skilled workforce to diligently monitor online content.
“Digital transformation progresses at a significantly faster rate than traditional regulatory frameworks,” explained the CSP President. He further underscored the inherent difficulty for national regulatory bodies to govern platforms whose operations extend far beyond national borders.
To address these complex challenges, Mr. Koné pointed out that Côte d’Ivoire has already taken a pivotal step forward with the enactment of Law n°2022-979 on December 20, 2022, which establishes the legal framework for audiovisual communication.
This landmark legislation now mandates that social media influencers with over 25,000 subscribers adhere to the regulations governing audiovisual communication, with oversight provided by the High Authority for Audiovisual Communication (HACA).
The Technical Advisor to the Minister of Communication also stressed the imperative to safeguard consumers from misleading advertising content. In line with this objective, he reiterated that Ivorian law requires advertisers to submit their campaigns for prior approval by the CSP’s Control and Validation Commission (CCV).
Despite these measures, the CSP President expressed concern over the continued prevalence of irregular advertising practices. He issued a stern warning that offenders face severe penalties, including fines ranging from 3 to 5 percent of their turnover, and potential criminal prosecution leading to imprisonment for up to two months.
Currently, the national advertising market contributes less than 1 percent to the Gross Domestic Product (GDP), generating approximately 30 billion CFA francs annually. This performance lags behind several neighboring countries, which demonstrate more robust advertising sectors, even with potentially less developed markets.
