Côte d’Ivoire Set to Become Africa’s Natural Rubber and Tire Industry Hub

With the ramp-up of its natural rubber production, Côte d’Ivoire is showing the potential to establish itself as a key player in Africa’s tire industry. The latest global market forecasts released by the Association of Natural Rubber Producing Countries (ANRPC) indicate that the West African country could become the world’s third-largest producer of this raw material, surpassing Vietnam and ranking just behind Thailand and Indonesia.

Between 2015 and 2024, Ivorian natural rubber exports have quadrupled, rising from around 410,000 tons to 1.7 million tons, with shipments mainly directed to China, India, Malaysia, and the United States. This positions the country as an important actor in the global tire industry a sector for which Africa largely depends on imports.