2005 - 2006 - Pinsent Masons Water Yearbook 2012

COTE D'IVOIRE PART 2: COUNTRY ANALYSIS
Côte D’Ivoire
Economics (2003)
GDP per capita US$660
GDP per capita (PPP) US$1,400
Agriculture 26%
Industry 19%
Services 55%
Service provision
Côte d'Ivoire is regarded as offering the best water and sanitation services for urban areas in Sub-
Saharan Africa. Overall, 46% of the urban population receives piped water and 32% are connected to
the sewerage services. However, 62% of the population of Abidjan had access to piped water in
1993, with 45% connected to sewerage services. 58% of sewage effluents collected was treated.
0.07km 3 of water was treated in 1994, with approximately 35% of all water provided for domestic and
commercial use. Overall water usage rose from 0.7km 3 in 1987 to 1,26km 3 in 1994. In 1998, the
government estimated that it will cost CFAF266 billion to provide universal water and sewerage
services for all people living in settlements of more than 3,000. Between 1996 and 1998, CFAF21
billion was spent on such projects.
Population
Total (2003, million) 16.8
Total (2015, million) 20.2
In urban areas (2003) 45%
In urban areas (2015) 51%
In urban agglomerations (2015) 26%
SODECI
Bouygues’ SAUR was awarded a lease contract to manage water provision services in Abidjan in
1959. After independence in 1960, the lease was handed over to Société de Distribution d'Eau de la
Côte d'Ivoire (SODECI). SAUR in turn became SODECI’s major shareholder as it is today. In 1961,
the contract was extended to five other municipalities. Shares in the company have been traded on
the Bourse Regionale des Valuers Mobilieres (BRVM) in Abidjan since 1978. SAUR holds 47% of the
company’s equity, with 8% being held by the government and staff, and 45% being held by private
investors. The lease contract evolved to cover sewerage services. In 1987, the lease contract was
converted into a full concession with an operating life of 20 years. The concession can be renewed
for three years in 2005 if both parties agree.
Urban Services
Safe drinking water 59%
Average water usage (L/day) 111
Access to sewerage 32%
% Sewage treated 15%
From lease to concession
The lease contract appears to have ensured a basic level of service, but has performed poorly in that
it did not give SAUR sufficient leverage to manage the company on commercial lines. Thus the first
three decades of SODECI’s life were marked by the need for government subsidies. In consequence,
the World Bank supported the refinancing of SODECI on the basis that the lease contract was
upgraded into a full concession so as to optimise SAUR’s management control. This was carried out
as an additional part of the World Bank’s structural adjustment programme for the country.
Throughout the life of the lease and concession contracts, SODECI’s scope and customer base has
continued to expand. By 1973, SODECI served 40,071 customers in 38 population centres. This had
expanded to 345,000 customers in 409 centres by 1997. By 2001, SODECI had 600,000
connections.
73 Pinsent Masons Water Yearbook 2005 – 2006