Côte d'Ivoire's DGI reports record tax collection while confronting 39 billion FCFA scandal

The Direction Générale des Impôts (DGI) in Côte d'Ivoire announced that it collected 2,992.9 billion FCFA in the first half of 2026, surpassing its target of 2,985 billion FCFA and achieving a 100.3 % realization rate. In the second quarter alone, collection reached 1,778.7 billion FCFA against a goal of 1,711.2 billion FCFA (103.9 % of target), marking a 19.2 % year‑on‑year increase. Director General Abou Sié Ouattara highlighted strong performance but noted weaker results for certain taxes such as the payroll tax, VAT, and specific small‑business regimes, and set a new target of 2,874.4 billion FCFA for the second half of the year.

During the same seminar, Ouattara rebuked a DGI employee who had spoken publicly about an alleged 39 billion FCFA misappropriation case, stating, "Il ne connaît même pas l'affaire, il ne sait pas à quel niveau on est." He emphasized the need for confidentiality and noted that investigations and arrests were already underway. Deputy chief of staff Vassogbo Bamba, representing Finance Minister Adama Coulibaly, praised the results and urged staff to maintain confidence despite the media attention.