Côte d'Ivoire: Bouaké, La Rebelle
History
Bouaké is the second-largest city in Côte d'Ivoire, located in the central part of the country, with a population of 832,371 (2021 census). The area was originally inhabited by the Baoulé people, an Akan ethnic group that migrated from present-day Ghana in the 18th century. The city's name is believed to come from a Baoulé village that predated colonial influence.
Bouaké began to develop significantly during the French colonial period in the early 20th century. The French established a military post there, which soon became a hub for trade and administration. The Abidjan-Niger railway, completed in the 1930s, connected Bouaké to the port of Abidjan and to the north of the country and made it the main transit point for goods moving between the two.
Bouaké is the main market for the crops of central Côte d'Ivoire, particularly cotton, cashew nuts, yams, and maize. The surrounding region produces much of the country's cotton, and Bouaké hosts several cotton ginning factories and textile plants. Cashew nut processing is a more recent and growing industry.
In addition to agriculture, Bouaké has a well-developed livestock market, with cattle and other livestock brought from northern Côte d'Ivoire, Mali, and Burkina Faso. The city's central market serves as a distribution hub for manufactured goods and food products heading to rural areas. Bouaké's location makes it a crossroads for wholesale trade between the north and south of the country.
Over the past two decades, the service sector has also grown: education, banking, healthcare, and transportation. Université Alassane Ouattara and several technical colleges draw students from across the region.
Bouaké was at the center of the Ivorian civil conflict. From 2002 to 2011, it served as the de facto capital of the rebel-held north and experienced political instability, economic disruption, and a significant military presence. Despite these challenges, Bouaké has remained a resilient city and an important cultural and economic hub.
The Retailer Project
I lived in Abidjan for almost two years before starting my PhD, and one of my favorite activities was grocery shopping in the informal marketplaces to see which fruits and vegetables were in season. Through these repeated interactions, I began to connect with the retailers I regularly bought from. We talked about the prices of goods, where they were sourced, and the challenges of making a living by selling small quantities at the lowest possible prices. Many of these retailers told me that most vegetables were either from or coming through Bouaké, where, according to them, "everyone was a trader of something." Intrigued by this, I decided to visit Bouaké and see for myself.
The local economy is largely informal, with countless small retailers selling goods in markets and on the streets. To better understand the city, I met with Jackson Hien, a PhD student in sociology at Université Alassane Ouattara in Bouaké. He showed me around and introduced me to the retailers from whom he regularly bought his food. We learned how each of the city's 15 marketplaces had its own identity and reputation. We also discovered that there was only one wholesale market where nearly all the fruits and vegetables produced in the Vallée du Bandama region and beyond were gathered before being distributed to the different selling points around the city.
We soon wondered why retailers didn't at least share transportation costs to go to the wholesale market together. The answer remained vague. Surprisingly, all the retailers agreed that this would be a great idea—but that no one would take it on.
From there, it became clear that something could be done to improve the sourcing side of these small businesses. We began piloting different ways of cooperating outside our study sample, based on the retailers' suggestions, and eventually converged on a solution that retailers found practical and effective. The implementation was simple enough to scale across 12 markets in the surrounding neighborhoods, covering around 750 retailers out of the 1,000 we had previously identified.
Urban Landmarks - Personal Favorites
Testimony
These testimonies highlight the challenges and experiences of small-scale retailers in the Sokoura.
I was born in 1968, right here in the market. This has been my world since I was a child. I only made it to 6th grade in school before I started working alongside my mother, selling tomatoes and okra, Maggi cubes, eggplant, and peppers—the same products I sell today.
My mother came from Katiola, and my father was Malian, working on the railway as a construction worker. My grandfather was chief of the RAN. I'm one of seven children, with two older sisters who both work at the refinery as secretaries.
I have three children of my own—two daughters and a son. My eldest daughter has been a nurse for over 30 years now. My son works hard and takes care of himself. My youngest daughter just got her baccalaureate when she was 18, and she's continuing her studies. So now, it's only me at home so I come to the market every single day. This market has been our family's life for generations. — Malle Salimata
I was born in Mali, in the city of Kian, about 60 years ago. I've been selling at the Sokoura market for 40 years now. This market has become my world, the place where I learned to do business, to take care of people, to make a living with my hands and my heart.
I was married for over 45 years to a tailor. Together we had 12 children—3 boys and 9 girls. Today, I have 9 children still alive; three have passed away. My first child is now 35 years old, and my youngest is only 14 and still in primary school. My parents were farmers, and it's from them that I inherited this strength to work hard.
I've been a widow for 10 years now. My husband passed away, and it was only this year that I returned to Mali for his funeral ceremonies. At the market, I'm helped by my fifth child, a daughter who has 5 children of her own but lost her husband. All my daughters are married, and among my children, only three went to school, and one is still studying.
None of my children work formally, but we support each other. This market has witnessed my life, my joys and my sorrows. It's here that I learned that commerce is more than selling—it's about creating connections, being part of a community, surviving and thriving together. — Diarra Massetou
Colors of Marketplaces
Book and Press Coverage
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