Ivory Coast

OHEL International is an Ivorian construction company founded with the ambition to meet the growing demand for housing in Côte d’Ivoire while integrating an environmentally friendly approach. Its core expertise lies in the use of Stabilized Compressed Earth Blocks (BTCS), made from lateritic soil, sand, and cement, which significantly reduces the carbon footprint of construction.

Over the years, OHEL has built a strong reputation as an eco-friendly construction company thanks to the quality of its projects. The company has completed more than 500 buildings (schools, clinics, sports complexes, villas, apartment buildings, latrines, etc.) and collaborates with individuals, public institutions, private companies, and international organizations.

The entrepreneur

Marina NOBOUT is an Ivorian entrepreneur and the sole shareholder of OHEL. A commercial engineer by training, she began her career in 2001 in the real estate sector (SIEGIM-CI) before holding senior management positions in several security and construction companies.

In 2010, she founded OHEL to address two key challenges:

• The housing deficit in Côte d’Ivoire (estimated at 500,000 units);
• The need for low-carbon solutions in the construction sector.

Her leadership has earned her several distinctions, including the International Marrakech Ecology Award (2016) and the BTCS Leader Award in Côte d’Ivoire (2022).

Partnership with I&P and Comoe Capital

I&P has partnered with Comoé Capital to support OHEL through:

• A reimbursable financing of 129,459,539 FCFA, disbursed in three tranches based on performance KPIs;
• Technical assistance in accounting: implementation of an ERP system, recruitment and training of an accountant, and strengthening of financial reporting;
• ESG and climate support: staff training and enhancement of the environmental impact of BTCS construction;
• Commercial and technical development: design of a marketing strategy and optimization of BTCS brick production through new equipment.

Main impacts

• Climate: reduction of 2.072 tCO₂eq per BTCS house built;
• Gender: woman-led enterprise;
• Social: job creation.

ASSAHORE & KO is a honey production and marketing company positioned in the premium segment. The company, best known under its brand name Colonie, was established in 2023. Its clientele includes individuals, hotels, restaurants, supermarkets, convenience stores, pharmacies, and gourmet shops. Processing and packaging activities are carried out at its production site located in Bingerville, a city within the Abidjan metropolitan area. 

The entrepreneur

ASSAHORE & KO was founded by young Ivorian entrepreneur Alex Assahoré. He holds a Master’s degree in International Marketing from Hult International Business School (2021), a Bachelor’s in Business Economics from Georgia State University in Atlanta (2018), and a Bachelor’s in Business Administration from the International University of Grand-Bassam in Côte d’Ivoire (2016). Between 2018 and 2021, he completed an internship in the public administration, specifically within the Department of Strategic Studies, Development and Projects of the General Directorate of Economy of Côte d’Ivoire. During that period, he also launched a food kiosk and delivery service, and experimented with selling bracelets and hibiscus leaves. These diverse experiences strengthened his entrepreneurial mindset and ability to innovate. After a two-year preparation phase, which included an in-depth market study on honey and the installation of beehives, Alex Assahoré founded ASSAHORE & KO in 2023. 

Partnership with I&P and Comoe Capital

ASSAHORE & KO benefits from the support of I&P Acceleration FARM, a €4 million program backed by Proparco and designed to finance around twenty SMEs in Sub-Saharan Africa operating across the agricultural value chain (product processing, primary agriculture, livestock, fish farming, distribution, sale of equipment and inputs, agritech, etc.). In Côte d’Ivoire, the program is implemented by Comoé Capital. 

This partnership will enable the SME to finance: 

• The purchase of raw materials; 
• The purchase of packaging; 
• Marketing and communication activities; 
• The establishment of working capital. 

ETS KAO is an Ivorian company founded in 2018, specializing in the processing and marketing of food products. It manufactures and distributes powders and spices, oilseed pastes (peanut, pistachio, cashew, etc.), as well as flours and pulps. Its products are intended for the local market, particularly large and medium-sized supermarkets, wholesalers, convenience stores, and individuals. Processing and packaging activities are carried out at its production site located in Abobo, a district of Abidjan.

The entrepreneur

Odette KASSI is the founder of ETS KAO. With a high school diploma, she has over 10 years of experience in the food products sector in Côte d'Ivoire. After a career in primary education, she launched her food products business in 2011. Faced with issues related to expiration dates, she shifted her focus to the processing of oilseeds and dried food products. In 2013, she created the sole proprietorship ETS KAO, which became a limited liability company in 2018.

Partnership with I&P and Proparco

ETS KAO benefits from the support of I&P Accélération FARM, a €4 million program backed by proparco and designed to finance around 20 SMEs in sub-Saharan Africa active across the entire agricultural value chain (product processing, primary agriculture, livestock farming, fish farming, distribution, equipment and input sales, agritech, etc.). In Côte d'Ivoire, this program is implemented by Comoé Capital.

This partnership will enable the SME to finance:

• The purchase of a delivery vehicle;
• The acquisition of additional equipment (bagging machines, labeling machines);
• Communication activities for new products;
• Renovation work to install new equipment;
• Working capital requirements.

EV.Tech is an Ivorian company specializing in the electric mobility sector, more specifically in the supply of recharging solutions for electric vehicles. The company offers complete solutions for electric vehicle recharging, including installation and maintenance of recharging stations, and offers the Neo Charging mobile application, which enables drivers to easily locate recharging stations in the NEO multi-operator network, consult their status in real time (availability, rates, etc.) and track their vehicle's state of charge.

The entrepreneurs

EV.Tech was founded in 2023 by Esther DAGRI and Florent THOMAS, two experienced entrepreneurs with nearly 30 years' experience in Côte d'Ivoire. Aware that charging infrastructure for electric vehicles was lagging behind, they launched NEO, the first national network of charging stations, to meet a crucial challenge: accelerating the energy transition and making electromobility accessible, reliable and connected.

Partnership with I&P and Gaia Impact

EV.Tech is supported by I&P Digital Energy, a 4.8 million euro program to finance and support a dozen start-ups and SMEs in sub-Saharan Africa offering digital solutions for access to affordable energy, backed by AFD and the EU. In Côte d'Ivoire, this program is implemented by Comoé Capital. 

This partnership will enable the start-up to:

• Finance the purchase of terminals to enable maximum expansion with strategic partners;
• Strengthen its team, mainly in sales;
• Approve the Mobile charging solution concept.

Founded in 2016, AS Pharm is an innovative pan-African start-up that offers pharmacies a SaaS platform to optimise their operational management. This comprehensive solution covers all the essential aspects of their business, such as sales management, customer relations, invoicing, stock tracking, accounting, data analysis, and much more. Available both online and offline, the platform guarantees total flexibility to meet the specific needs of each pharmacy.

The entrepreneurs

AS Pharm was co-founded by two entrepreneurs, Régis Salako and Aboubakar Sidick Aboudou:

• Régis Salako is an experienced IT professional with a solid university education and more than 10 years' experience in the sector. He graduated from the University of Rennes in 2012 with a Master's degree in Computer Science specialising in MIAGE (computer methods applied to business management).
• Aboubakar Sidick Aboudou has gained significant experience in the IT sector, having worked as an Analyst Programmer, Design Engineer and Information System Manager in an IT consultancy firm in France for seven years. He graduated from ENSSAT (Ecole Nationale Supérieures des Sciences Appliquées et de Technologie) in 2011 with a degree in Software and Computer Systems Engineering.

Partnership with I&P and Fako Capital

AS Pharm is supported by I&P Accélération Technologies, a €2.5 million programme to finance and support around 15 digital start-ups in sub-Saharan Africa, backed by AFD through Digital Africa. In Côte d'Ivoire , this programme is implemented by Comoé Capital.

This partnership will enable the start-up to :

• Recruit technical and sales staff 
• Expand its activities in Côte d'Ivoire and accelerate its growth in Senegal.
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YARANI is a private vocational training center founded in 1990 by the Association Of Education and Development – EDE

YARANI was created to support the advancement of women of all ages and all social conditions in society through professional qualifications. The school offers Vocational training and continuous training in Catering, hospitality, and Nurse Aid to only women. The school campus is located in Abidjan Côte d’Ivoire.

The Entrepreneur
After 10 years in secondary education, Marie-Odile CACHIA joined Yarani in 1994 as General Manager. 

She holds a BAC G2, a CPECF, a BTS in accounting, and many certificates (Psychopedagogy, Hotel Management, Digitization of Training Services, ...) over the last 16 years.

Partenership with I&P 

Yarani is supported by I&P through the Mastercard Foundation Covid-19 Recovery and Resilience Program (CRRP).

Expected impacts

• Improve the quality of education of education with the development of short term train,  acquisition of pedagogical equipment and the training of teacher
• Upgrade employability with the reinforcement of dual training, the training of the career center agents, and a technical assistance for the measurement of employability
• Provide scholarship program to support 25 women 
• Improve resilience through the recruitment of a community manager and a marketing campaign

Oui Lait & Dêguê is an Ivorian company that operates in the agri-food sector, more specifically in the production of yogurt (or curdled milk) and dêguê (a mixture of yogurt and millet semolina or couscous). Its products are marketed through two distribution channels: direct sales (distribution of products directly to customers via sales outlets) and online sales (home delivery).

The entrepreneur

Oui Lait & Dêguê was founded by Mrs Saran Fadiga.  Autodidact, she grew up in an entrepreneurial and sales environment. With a A-Levels in literature, she undertook various activities (selling yogurt, jewelry, shoes, etc.) for five years before starting Oui Lait & Dêguê in 2017.

Partnership with I&P and Comoé Capital

The company is supported by I&P and Comoé Capital through I&P Acceleration in Sahel. The aim of the funding is to :

• increase and optimize the company's production capacity
• contribute to the opening of new stands
• contribute to the digitization of business monitoring

Oui Lait & Dêguê will also benefit from a number of technical aids to improve production, accounting and financial processes.

The Espace Véritable Santé (EVS) medical center is a private health facility offering day care such as generalist consultations but also specialized consultations (ultrasound, radiology, maternity excluding caesarean sections and medical analyses).

EVS is located in San-Pédro, in the Bas-Sassandra district of Côte d'Ivoire.

The entrepreneur

EVS was founded in 2017 by Dr ALLA Konan Barthelémy.

Partnership with Comoé Capital and I&P

EVS is supported by Comoé Capital, a partner of I&P, through private equity.

Expected impacts

• Increasing reception capacity and diversifying care offerings
• Improvement in the quality of care, particularly in medical imaging and maternity care, given the alarming infant mortality figures in Côte d'Ivoire.
• Staff training and capacity building

Ivoire Garba, commonly known as I-Garba, is a company that markets and promotes an Ivorian dish called garba. The company's ambition is to create a fast-food chain in Côte d'Ivoire, and in the future to export its model to the interior of the country and to neighboring countries.

The entrepreneur

Ivoire Garba was created by Mamadou Sidibé, an entrepreneur from Côte d'Ivoire. Holder of a BTS in business management, he worked as a security professional, launching several activities including the export of Abidjan's piqué chicken to the interior of the country.  He had to abandon this activity following the various crises that Côte d'Ivoire has experienced. In 2018, he led an attempt to open a McDonald's franchise.

Partnership with Comoé Capital and I&P

Ivoire Garba is financed by Comoé Capital, a partner of I&P, through an equity investment.

Expected impact

• Enhancement of a local specialty contributes to the promotion of Ivorian culture 
• Creation of over 40 sustainable jobs