VAT Policy
Côte d’Ivoire’s agriculture minister, Bruno Nabagné Koné, has said discussions are underway with the relevant authorities to restore full VAT exemption on fertiliser inputs and packaging, potentially reversing the 9% VAT introduced on 17 January 2026 under the 2026 finance law.
The minister’s comments were made on 23 March during a joint ECOWAS-WAEMU agriculture ministers’ meeting focused on the regional response to rising energy costs and tightening fertiliser supply.
No formal reinstatement has yet been confirmed. In the absence of an official notification, the exemption should still be treated as pending.
AFRIQOM Take
The signal points to mounting policy pressure in Abidjan as higher global fertiliser prices and the January VAT change have combined to raise costs for importers, blenders and farmers.
AFRIQOM had flagged this risk in January when the tax was introduced. Since then, the burden has likely intensified as Côte d’Ivoire remains fully reliant on imported straight fertilisers for local blending, leaving the market exposed to higher freight, insurance and tax costs at the same time.
The timing has been particularly difficult. The VAT took effect in mid-January, just weeks before the Hormuz-linked supply disruption added further pressure to international prices and regional procurement costs.
A formal reversal would be supportive for market affordability, but key questions remain around implementation, including whether any exemption would apply retroactively and how quickly lower costs would feed through into domestic pricing.
Why it matters: Côte d’Ivoire imported around 764,000 tonnes of fertiliser in 2025, up from about 584,000 tonnes in 2024, according to AFRIQOM tracking. That increase in volume underlines a market with rising demand, but also one that is highly exposed to global fertiliser and affordability shocks.
If the exemption is reinstated, importers and blenders will need to adjust pricing and stock valuations accordingly, especially for material brought in under the 9% VAT regime.
Watchpoints
Whether the VAT reversal is retroactive or applies only to new imports
The impact on Q2-Q3 procurement planning
Whether Abidjan adds further support measures beyond VAT relief
How quickly any tax relief is reflected in farmgate prices
AFRIQOM Market Reporter
