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Jean-Louis Billon, heir to one of Ivory Coast’s richest families, is turning his business empire into a political platform. The 59-year-old businessman made his fortune in palm oil and is now positioning himself as the candidate of a new generation.
Billon runs Sifca, the family’s agroindustrial conglomerate, which dominates much of the country’s palm oil and rubber sectors. He says his experience in building a major private enterprise gives him the tools to reshape Ivory Coast’s economy.
“Those who invest and take risks deserve to lead the way,” he told a cheering crowd in Dabou, a farming and industrial hub west of Abidjan. “This is our moment.”
A dynasty built on the land
The Billon name has been tied to plantations for decades. What began as a family farming business grew into one of West Africa’s most influential agribusiness groups. Sifca now controls plantations, mills and refineries, with operations that reach far beyond Ivory Coast.
The family’s wealth, estimated at more than $1.2 billion by Billionaires.Africa, places them at the top of the country’s economic elite. Billon climbed through the ranks of the company before stepping into politics. He later served as commerce minister from 2012 to 2017, during the PDCI party’s alliance with the ruling coalition.
Under his watch, Sifca expanded its processing capacity and became one of the country’s largest private employers, especially in rural areas. Billon often points to this record as proof that the private sector—not the state—should drive the next phase of development.
A campaign in a fractured landscape
Billon enters the presidential race without the full backing of his own party. The PDCI’s chosen candidate was barred from running, leaving him to build a coalition of loyalists and younger supporters on the sidelines of the establishment.
His speeches focus on economic opportunity and social equity. In Dabou, he addressed teachers, health workers and civil servants, pledging higher salaries and more investment outside Abidjan. He calls his platform a “new deal” for Ivorian youth.
But his campaign unfolds at a tense moment. Authorities have tightened restrictions on protests, demonstrations have been banned, and several clashes have turned deadly. Police confirmed at least one death; opposition figures say the toll is higher.
Billon is one of four opposition figures challenging President Alassane Ouattara’s bid for a fourth term. His rivals include veterans of past administrations and allies of former President Laurent Gbagbo.
What comes next
A Billon presidency would bring a rare profile to Ivorian politics: a private-sector heavyweight at the helm of the state. To his supporters, Billon is a practical man who gets things done. To his detractors, he’s a wealthy insider far removed from daily hardships.
The campaign will reveal whether a fortune built on palm oil can become a political asset — or a burden too heavy for voters to accept.
