Immigrant Entrepreneurship in Côte d'Ivoire: Socio-demographic Profile and Specific Characteristics of Nigerian and Nigerian Immigrant Entrepreneurs in Yopougon (Côte d'Ivoire)

Abstract

The socio-economic development of Côte d'Ivoire thanks to the coffee-cocoa pairing in the 1980s led to an increase in the flow of immigrants throughout the country. Unfortunately, this economic and social growth could not be sustained over a long period. The economic crisis that hit the country was immediately accompanied by austerity policies steered by international financial institutions such as the World Bank and the International Monetary Fund (IMF). The immediate consequence of the country's economic constraints has been the destructuring of the labour market, particularly in terms of supply and demand. As a result, the majority of immigrant populations are affected in the same way as nationals by the precariousness of their jobs. Faced with this "unexpected" situation, private or individual initiatives have been taken by immigrant populations to escape and also to seize existing opportunities. Yopougon, Abidjan's largest commune, has seen its commercial spaces "invaded" by Nigerians who have set up micro-businesses. The aim of this article is to establish the socio-demographic profile of 150 immigrant entrepreneurs based in commercial spaces and to identify the specific characteristics of immigrant entrepreneurship in these communities in Yopougon. The study shows that the majority of entrepreneurs are creators from scratch, aged 40 and over, and that this type of entrepreneurship is male-dominated. It should be noted that economic activities are segmented by field and by ethnic group, with the majority of players being Islamic. The location of the economic activity obeys various logics without forgetting that the experiential factor plays an important role in the choice of entrepreneurship as a professional career for Nigerian and Nigerian immigrants.