Kalil Konaté is an Ivorian politician and technocrat with extensive experience spanning government, industry, energy, mining and digital transformation.

Appointed Minister of Commerce, Industry and Handicrafts on January 23, 2026, he previously served for 27 months as Minister of Digital Transition and Digitalisation under the government of Prime Minister Robert Beugré Mambé. Minister Konaté is an engineer and specialist in electricity and mining.

Education and Training
A graduate of the National Higher Institute for Technical Education (INSET) in Yamoussoukro, he obtained in 2008 a postgraduate degree (DESS) in Energy Planning and Management from Systems Europe Institute, Software Engineering for Electric Power, in Belgium. He also holds an engineering degree in Quality Management for Industrial Enterprises from the African Institute of Total Quality (IAQT/CESTI Paris).

Professional Career
Kalil Konaté began his professional career in June 1996 at PETROCI before joining Nestlé in June 1997. In September 1998, he joined the National Bureau for Technical Studies and Development (BNETD), where he remained until November 2010 and contributed to numerous major infrastructure and development projects in Côte d’Ivoire.

At BNETD, he held several senior positions, including Foreign Projects Coordinator, Head of the Industry, Energy and Mining Unit, and Technical Advisor to the Director General for Industry, Energy and Mining.

In August 2011, he was appointed Chief Executive Officer of the Ivorian Enterprise Institute (INIE), with the mission of supporting the government’s ambition to develop strong SMEs. He launched a major initiative to identify Ivorian SMEs and created a strategic tool to support various SME profiles across the country.

Before joining the government, he had served since September 2021 as Chairman of the Board of Directors of the Mining Development Company of Côte d’Ivoire (SODEMI).

Political Engagement
Kalil Konaté is a member of the Executive Board of the Rally of Houphouëtists for Democracy and Peace (RHDP). Since 2018, he has also served as President of the Regional Council of Hambol, a position to which he was re-elected in September 2023.

Contributions and Achievements
He has published work on energy efficiency, rural electrification and the optimal use of electricity in rural areas for economic and social development.

Since taking office as Minister of Digital Transition and Digitalisation in October 2023, he has spearheaded several major legal and institutional reforms, including:

Law No. 2023-901 promoting digital startups
Law No. 2024-352 of June 6, 2024, on electronic communications
He also led the creation of the National Agency for Information Systems Security (ANSSI) and oversaw the launch of Côte d’Ivoire’s National Data Governance Strategy and National Artificial Intelligence Strategy in 2024.

Among the flagship initiatives under his leadership are:

PARAE (Support Project for Strengthening Electronic Administration)
PNCR (Rural Connectivity Programme)
He also laid the foundations for the construction of a national data centre, reflecting his commitment to the country’s digital sovereignty.

His efforts to accelerate digital transformation are aligned with the vision of President Alassane Ouattara, who considers digital technology a key driver of economic growth and employment creation across all sectors.

Minister Konaté actively promotes regional digital cooperation and regularly engages with African counterparts through bilateral meetings, conferences and international summits. He strongly believes in the importance of public-private partnerships and views the private sector as a key actor in Africa’s digital transformation.

He is currently preparing the Ivoire Tech Forum, a major event scheduled for July, aimed at positioning Côte d’Ivoire as a regional hub for technological and digital innovation. He also supports Ivorian startups internationally, notably through participation at Viva Technology in Paris alongside other government ministries.

Social and Community Engagement
Kalil Konaté is actively involved in social and community initiatives in his region, particularly in rural electrification, access to drinking water, women’s empowerment, and support for widows and orphans.

Kalil Konaté is married and the father of six children.