2020 Theses Master's

Build Operate Transfer: a model for maintaining Abidjan's markets as places of urban vitality

Kouame, Raissah Affoue Baindu Marion

In rapidly urbanizing African cities such as Abidjan, bustling markets like the Adjame market thrive on social density revealing their characteristic as places of urban vitality. In order for markets to maintain longevity over time, market management strategies must be efficient. When managed solely by the Adjame municipality, markets lack the means in terms of sustainability and economic productivity to efficiently function as places of urban vitality thus curtailing their longevity and prosperity. In cases such as the Forum des marchés submarket within the Adjame market, the Build Operate Transfer market structure provides in practice opportunities for market efficiency as private entrepreneurs have the funds to curb pollution by improving market environmental conditions as well as the ability to decrease losses in the tax collection process which hinder commercial transactions from fully benefiting the municipality in terms of economic productivity. Through short-term participant observation, comparative market management structure studies, and structured open-ended interviews, the research endeavour reveals the utility of public-private partnerships in advancing market efficiency as a means to support urban vitality in markets in Abidjan presenting a model for cities across West Africa as well as insights on markets for cities around the world.