Côte d’Ivoire: 200 New Buses to Address SOTRA's Operational Challenges

Côte d’Ivoire is steadily progressing toward a more integrated mobility system through investments in diversified public transportation services. Alongside major projects such as the BRT and metro systems, the country is also channeling funds into its public bus operator.

SOTRA, the public transport operator in Côte d’Ivoire, has announced the deployment of 200 new buses to expand its service network. This move aligns with the government's strategy to renew the fleet and ensure service availability in underserved areas, particularly in the interior regions of the country.

Operational challenges remain significant, affecting service quality through frequent delays and recurring breakdowns on certain routes. According to SOTRA’s administrators, the company received 500 buses in 2017, 1,000 between 2018 and 2019, and another 500 in 2020. However, part of this fleet is currently out of service due to vandalism, traffic accidents, and mechanical issues.

The introduction of this new batch of buses is expected to boost service capacity in cities already served, especially in Abidjan, where growing mobility demands are driven by rapid population growth.

According to the government’s roadmap, transport services in Greater Abidjan will be significantly strengthened in the coming years through major infrastructure projects currently under development. These include the high-capacity bus system (BRT) between Yopougon and Bingerville, which is expected to carry between 300,000 and 500,000 passengers daily, and the metro system, with operations scheduled to begin in 2027, aiming to transport nearly 500,000 passengers per day.