Côte d’Ivoire leads HDI growth in Sub-Saharan Africa and ranks 4th worldwide in 2023

Abidjan, May 16, 2025 – In terms of Human Development Index (HDI) progress between 2022 and 2023, Côte d’Ivoire ranks first in Sub-Saharan Africa and fourth globally, with an increase of +0.017 in one year (3%), placing it 157th out of 193 countries. This marks a five-place jump compared to the previous year. The country’s HDI value for 2023 is 0.582, which corresponds to a medium level of human development.

These figures, drawn from the 2025 Human Development Report (HDR) produced by the United Nations Development Programme (UNDP), were presented by Becaye Diarra, Chief Economist at UNDP, on Friday, May 16, 2025, at the Primature auditorium in Abidjan-Plateau.

This presentation took place during the launch of the Report, titled "A Matter of Choice: People and Possibilities in the Age of AI", led by the Minister of Economy, Planning, and Development, Nialé Kaba, in the presence of other government members and UNDP Resident Representative Blerta Cela.

Becaye Diarra specified that within the African region, Côte d’Ivoire ranks 19th out of 45 countries.

He revealed that the country registered progress of +0.7%, +1.0%, and +1.7% over the periods 1990–2000, 2000–2009, and 2010–2023 respectively, amounting to a +25.16% increase for the 2010–2023 period alone.

Focusing on the key HDI indicators—life expectancy at birth, expected years of schooling, mean years of schooling for adults over 25, and gross national income per capita—Becaye Diarra expressed satisfaction with the country’s achievements despite existing challenges. Life expectancy at birth rose to 61.9 years in 2023 compared to 61.6 in 2022, expected years of schooling increased to 11.4 in 2023 from 10.2 in 2022, while the mean years of schooling for adults remained constant at 4.9 years. Gross national income per capita increased from $6,540.5 in 2022 to $6,735.4 in 2023.

According to Becaye Diarra, artificial intelligence (AI) can help propel Côte d’Ivoire into the ranks of countries with high or even very high human development.

“The country is making progress toward reaching a high HDI level. AI is a means to boost HDI—provided the right choices are made, such as building a complementary economy based on cooperation between individuals and AI, fostering responsible innovation with human-centered technology design, and strengthening human capabilities by investing in education and health,” he recommended.

Minister Nialé Kaba stated that these results are the outcome of effective programs and policies implemented by the government since 2011, with technical and financial support from development partners.

She confirmed that Côte d’Ivoire has already begun implementing relevant recommendations from the 2025 Human Development Report, including the development of National Strategies on AI and Data Governance and the ongoing establishment of a Pan-African Artificial Intelligence Hub for Sustainable Development in Abidjan.

A copy of the Report was officially presented to the Minister and other representatives of concerned institutions.