The Groupement des transformateurs de cajou ivoiriens (GTCI), representing national processors handling 100,000 tonnes of raw cashew nuts annually, has welcomed the signing of a landmark financing agreement on June 11, 2026 between the Banque nationale d’investissement (BNI), the Conseil du Coton et de l’Anacarde (CCA), and local processors.
Local operators have embraced the challenge of boosting domestic processing by investing their own capital to build and expand processing plants. This initiative is driving industrialization in the sector, creating added value, and strengthening the national economy.
In a letter dated July 17, 2026, addressed to the Presidency, Vice-Presidency, Prime Minister Robert Beugré Mambé, the Vice-Prime Minister, the Minister of Industry, the BNI, and the CCA, GTCI President Denis Kouadio expressed appreciation to authorities and institutions for establishing this innovative financing mechanism. The system supports the procurement of raw cashew nuts and covers processing costs for local operators.
The group highlighted the critical need for this support, especially as processors face challenges in securing raw nuts, optimizing processing efficiency, and accessing substantial financing within tight commercialization windows. The new agreement ensures timely access to the volumes required to maintain year-round operations and meet market demand.
For the GTCI, this tripartite agreement marks a major milestone for the industry. It is expected to enhance local processing, secure supply chains for industrial units, and improve financing accessibility for processors nationwide.
The initiative outlines clear roles: the CCA will guarantee the availability of 20% of processors’ raw nut needs at the start of each season, while the BNI will finance the remaining 80%, including working capital for industrial and export operations.
GTCI’s president also commended key stakeholders instrumental in launching this project, 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 coordinated efforts led to the creation of this sustainable financing model, designed to empower national investors.
The success of this program, aimed at nurturing homegrown champions in local cashew processing, now opens the door to new opportunities. Discussions are underway to extend a similar financing mechanism to the cocoa processing sector, with the goal of benefiting national cocoa processors.
The Côte d’Ivoire, the world’s top producer of raw cashew nuts with an annual output of about 1.5 million tonnes, now hosts 37 processing plants boasting a combined capacity of over 830,000 tonnes. With a local processing rate of 43%, the country ranks second among cashew kernel exporters and is the third-largest global processor, according to ITC data from 2025.
Having already addressed the challenge of boosting raw nut production, Côte d’Ivoire is now focused on accelerating local transformation. The aim is to retain greater value within its borders, fortify its industrial base, and generate additional employment opportunities.
