eSIM for Côte d’Ivoire

Viasimo's Côte d’Ivoire eSIM starts at $9.00 for 1 GB over 7 days, running on Orange with 4G LTE where available. Plans last 1 to 180 days, arrive by email in minutes and install from your phone's settings, with no app.

Works everywhere in Côte d’Ivoire

Abidjan Autonomous District
Bas-Sassandra District
Comoé District
Denguélé District
Goh-Djiboua
Lacs District
Lagunes District

Select your planIn stock

Duration

Quantity

Unlimited data · 3 Days$44.99

Unlimited data · 3 Days ×1

$44.99

Going to more than one country? See regional plans

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Dial *#06# on your phone. If you see an EID number, your phone takes an eSIM. Most phones sold since 2019 do.

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Network

Which networks does the Côte d’Ivoire eSIM use?

Host networks: Orange

Your eSIM picks one automatically; you do not choose or switch between them.

Data: 1 GB – 20 GB or unlimited
Validity: 1–180 days
Speed: 4G LTE
Hotspot / tethering: Supported on most devices
Activation: Starts when you first connect in your destination
Speed management: Roughly 2-3 GB per day at full speed, sometimes less depending on the local carrier, then reduced
Top-ups: Add more data from your account, before the plan expires
Text messages (SMS): Data only: use an app for verification codes
Connects via: United Kingdom
Unused validity: 180 days before it must be installed

Setting up Buy, scan the QR code we email you, and switch on the travel line when you land. How it works

Choosing a plan

How much data do you need?

The allowances below are our sizing recommendations, not measurements. The plan beside each one is the cheapest option on this page that covers it.

Recommended data allowances matched to the plans sold for this destination
You are	Plan for	Cheapest plan that covers it
LightMaps, messaging and the occasional lookup	About 1 GB a week	$9.001 GB, 7 days
TypicalMaps, social, photos and some browsing	About 3 to 7 GB a week	$38.995 GB, 30 days
HeavyVideo streaming, video calls and uploads	10 GB a week or more	$67.9910 GB, 30 days
Working or sharingTethering a laptop, calls and cloud sync	20 GB a week or more	$97.00Unlimited, 7 days

Work it out from your own habits

What a week abroad costs

eSIM, local SIM or roaming?

Charged per day

Your carrier roaming

Queue and plastic

A SIM at the airport

$9.00

Viasimo, one bundle

Only the Viasimo figure is a price: it comes from today’s live catalog. The other two rows are directional, not quoted rates.

About this eSIM

Your data in Côte d'Ivoire rides on Orange, and only Orange, across 4G LTE. That single-partner setup is worth knowing up front: when the signal is poor in one spot, there is no second network to fall back to, so you work around it rather than through it. In practice Abidjan behaves like any well-covered African metro, and the further you get from the coastal cities the more you should treat data as a bonus rather than a given.

Getting online when you land

Install the profile at home over wifi, days before departure if you like, and leave it switched off. Ivorian airports are not the place to be scanning a QR code while the immigration queue moves. When the wheels touch down at Félix Houphouët-Boigny in Port-Bouët, turn the line on in your settings, give it half a minute to attach, and you should have data before you reach the baggage belt.

Leave your home SIM installed and set to voice only. You will want it for bank verification codes and for the airline, since neither cares that you are on a travel line. Set the Ivorian eSIM as your default for mobile data and turn data roaming on for that profile; skipping that toggle is the single most common reason a working eSIM looks broken.

The networks you'll be on

Orange is the whole story here. You get 4G LTE, no 5G, which matters less than people expect. LTE across Abidjan is comfortably enough for maps, messaging, ride-hailing and uploading photos. What you will notice is the drop to 3G outside the big centres: pages still load and WhatsApp still sends, but a video call gets choppy and a large upload can stall halfway.

Because there is one operator behind the plan, hotel wifi is your genuine backup rather than a nice extra. Ask for the password on check-in even if you do not think you will need it.

Where coverage holds, and where it thins

Abidjan is the strong zone, and it is a big one: Plateau, Cocody, Marcory, Treichville, Yopougon and the road out to the airport all hold a usable connection. The coastal run east through Grand-Bassam to the beach villages around Assinie stays reasonable, as does the highway north to Yamoussoukro and on toward Bouaké. San Pédro on the southwest coast and Korhogo up in the savannah both have working service around town.

It falls away in the forest. The road corridors keep signal, the interior does not. Expect long blanks through Taï National Park and the rainforest of the southwest, around Comoé in the northeast, and in the hill country near Man where the terrain shadows everything. Lagoon crossings and plantation tracks are similarly unreliable. If your day involves leaving a paved road, assume you are offline until you rejoin one.

What you'll actually use data for here

WhatsApp, mostly. It is how people arrange rides, confirm bookings and send you an address, and it works fine on a thin connection. Maps are the second big one, because Abidjan's layout across the Ébrié Lagoon makes distances deceptive and the bridges bottleneck at rush hour. Ride-hailing apps operate in Abidjan and save a lot of negotiating.

Translation is worth having if your French is rusty; menus at a maquis and roadside signage will not meet you halfway. Beyond that it is the ordinary stuff: checking whether the Basilica in Yamoussoukro is open to visitors that day, looking up a ferry, sending pictures of Grand-Bassam's old colonial quarter to people who will not believe you.

Before you fly

Confirm your handset actually supports eSIM before you buy; a phone bought locally in some markets ships without it. Download an offline map covering Abidjan, the coastal strip and whichever route you plan to drive, and do it on your home wifi rather than the airport's.

Screenshot everything address-shaped: your hotel, your first meeting, the place you are being collected from. Written in French, shown to a driver, that screenshot works whether or not you have bars. Carry a power bank, because heat and constant screen use drain a battery faster here than you plan for, and traffic on the Abidjan bridges can turn a short hop into an hour. If you are travelling in the rainy season, check road conditions before committing to a long inland drive rather than after.

Unlimited runs at full speed up to a fair-use limit, then continues slower.

Before you buy

Important to know

This is a data-only eSIM. It carries no calls or SMS on its own number.
Your existing number stays on your primary SIM, so calls and verification texts keep working.
Your phone must support eSIM, and some carrier-locked phones cannot install one.
Signal varies with location, terrain, congestion and your handset. Dense urban areas are consistently better served than remote ones.
The eSIM selects a host network automatically. You cannot pick or switch between them.
Unlimited plans run at full speed up to a fair-use limit, then continue at a reduced speed. Read the fair usage policy

Looking for more information?

Frequently asked questions

Does an eSIM work in Côte d’Ivoire?

Yes. Your Côte d’Ivoire eSIM connects automatically the moment you arrive, with no roaming fees and nothing to set up at the airport. The host networks it can use are Orange. Coverage runs on 4G LTE. There is no 5G on our host network in Côte d’Ivoire yet.

Do I get 5G in Côte d’Ivoire?

No. Orange do not yet offer 5G to visitors in Côte d’Ivoire, so your eSIM connects over 4G LTE or slower. Anyone claiming 5G for this destination is quoting a spec sheet, not the network you will actually get.

Which mobile networks are there in Côte d'Ivoire?

There are three: Orange Côte d'Ivoire, MTN Côte d'Ivoire and Moov Africa Côte d'Ivoire, all regulated by ARTCI. Orange and MTN are the largest. This eSIM connects to Orange on 4G LTE, so friends on MTN or Moov may see different signal strength in the same place because their masts are separate.

Do I need a visa for Côte d'Ivoire, and can I get it at the airport?

Unless you are from an ECOWAS country, you need a visa before you fly. Apply for the official e-visa online at least 10 working days ahead; once it is approved, you collect it at Abidjan airport on arrival. Keep the approval and payment receipt on your phone, and bring your yellow fever vaccination certificate.

Is it safe to use taxis in Abidjan?

The UK Foreign Office recommends ride-hailing apps or pre-booked cars over street taxis, many of which are old and poorly maintained, and advises avoiding public transport and walking after dark. A working data connection lets you book cars, check driver details and share your journey, which is one of the most useful things the eSIM does here.

Can I take photos at Abidjan airport?

No. Photography is prohibited near Abidjan airport and near other sensitive sites, including government buildings, the Presidency and military installations. Wait until you are well away from the airport before posting arrival pictures, and be cautious about filming near police or military checkpoints on the road.

What are the emergency numbers in Côte d'Ivoire?

Call 185 for an ambulance, 180 for the fire service, and 110, 111 or 170 for the police. You need a voice line for these calls, and this eSIM is data only, so keep your home SIM switched on for calls. Outside Abidjan emergency services can be slow, so plan journeys with care.

How much data do I need for 7 days in Côte d’Ivoire?

For 7 days in Côte d’Ivoire, Viasimo sells 1 GB for $9.00 and unlimited data for $97.00. Our sizing recommendation, not a measurement: maps, messaging and the occasional lookup, about 1 GB a week; maps, social, photos and some browsing, about 3 to 7 GB a week. The data calculator on this site works it out from how you actually use your phone.

Installing, keeping your number, topping up and hotspot work the same everywhere: see how it works →

Know before you go

Côte d’Ivoire: what to know before you land

Côte d'Ivoire has three mobile operators, Orange, MTN and Moov Africa, and this eSIM uses Orange's 4G LTE network. You need an approved e-visa before flying into Abidjan's Félix-Houphouët-Boigny airport (ABJ), a yellow fever certificate, and your original passport on you at all times. Ride-hailing apps are the safer way to get around Abidjan.

Emergency: 185 ambulance, 180 fire, 110/111/170 police
Plugs: CE 230V
Currency: West African CFA franc (XOF)

Main airports

ABJ Félix-Houphouët-Boigny International Airport, Abidjan

Apps worth having WhatsAppGoogle MapsGoogle TranslateOrange Money

Orange, MTN and Moov Africa: the Ivorian market

The telecoms regulator, ARTCI, oversees three mobile operators: Orange Côte d'Ivoire, MTN Côte d'Ivoire and Moov Africa Côte d'Ivoire. All three are currently part of ARTCI's 2026 consultations on net neutrality rules, which govern whether operators can favour or throttle particular apps and services.

Orange and MTN are the two largest, with Moov the smaller third player. This eSIM connects only to Orange. If you are travelling with Ivorian colleagues or a driver on MTN or Moov, their phones may hold a signal in places where yours doesn't, and the other way round, because each operator has its own masts. In a meeting room or hotel with poor reception, ask for the wifi password rather than waiting for the signal to return.

Local SIM cards are sold everywhere in Abidjan, but they must be registered to an identity document. With the eSIM already installed you avoid the shop visit on arrival and can keep your home SIM active for bank security codes and messages from your airline, while using Orange for data.

E-visa and arrival at Félix-Houphouët-Boigny (ABJ)

Most visitors who are not from ECOWAS countries need a visa arranged before they travel. The usual route is the official e-visa: apply and pay online at least 10 working days before your flight, then collect the visa on arrival at Abidjan airport. Keep the approval email and payment receipt on your phone and as a screenshot, because you will be asked for them at the e-visa desk.

You also need a certificate showing you have been vaccinated against yellow fever, and a passport valid for at least six months after you arrive. Without the yellow fever certificate you can be refused entry, so pack the paper card; a photo on your phone is a useful back-up but not a substitute.

Two more things to know at the airport:

Don't take photos. Photography near Abidjan airport is prohibited, as it is near government buildings, the Presidency and military sites. Keep the camera away while you film your arrival.
Book onward transport in advance or by app. The UK Foreign Office recommends taxi apps or pre-booked cars over hailing a taxi in the street, especially after dark.

Getting around Abidjan safely with your phone

Abidjan's red taxis and shared woro-woro cars are everywhere, but many are old and poorly maintained. The Foreign Office advises using ride-hailing apps, which generally use better vehicles, and avoiding public transport and walking outside after dark. That makes mobile data part of your safety plan: book cars through an app, share your trip with someone, and check the driver details before you get in.

Other practical points:

Carry your original passport. Police do not always accept copies, and checks are common. Keep a scan on your phone as well, in case it is lost.
Use transport to get to ATMs and keep your card in sight when paying.
Plan for roadblocks. On the road between towns, police checkpoints are routine; stay calm and have paperwork ready. Avoid quiet secondary roads where unofficial roadblocks are set up by bandits.
Don't drive at night. Poor lighting and livestock make night driving risky, and minor roads can become impassable in the rainy season, from May to November.

If you plan to drive, you need an international driving permit obtained in your home country, alongside your licence.

Comoé National Park and the northern border

The Foreign Office says the main terrorist threat in Côte d'Ivoire comes from JNIM and other al-Qaeda-affiliated groups that operate mainly near the northern borders with Mali and Burkina Faso, and it names Comoé National Park in the north-east as a known area of activity. Check the current advice for your country before booking anything in the far north, and confirm your travel insurance covers where you are going.

The north also has the thinnest network coverage in the country, so the two issues compound each other: in remote areas you may not be able to call for help or receive updates. If your trip takes you north of Bouaké, towards Korhogo or the border regions:

Register with your embassy's travel alert service before you go.
Share your itinerary with someone who will notice if you don't check in.
Download offline maps and keep a printed list of key contacts.

Medical care is another reason to plan carefully. Abidjan has hospitals of a reasonable, though expensive, standard, but facilities elsewhere are basic and serious cases can need evacuation. Emergency numbers are 185 for an ambulance, 180 for fire, and 110, 111 or 170 for the police.

Researched October 2026 · 5 sources

7-day itinerary

Seven days in Côte d'Ivoire: Abidjan, Grand-Bassam, Assinie and Yamoussoukro

A southern-focused week for first-time visitors who want Abidjan's modern city and lagoons, the colonial streets of Grand-Bassam, a beach stay at Assinie and the road trip to Yamoussoukro's basilica, keeping well away from the northern border areas.

Length: 7 days
Bases: 4

When to go December to March is the main dry season and the easiest time to travel; the long rains from about May to July bring heavy downpours and flooding in Abidjan, with a shorter wet spell around October and November.

Day 1 Abidjan

Arrive in Abidjan: Plateau and the lagoon

Airport to Plateau takes 30 to 60 minutes by car depending on traffic over the bridges.

From Félix-Houphouët-Boigny airport, take a pre-booked car or ride-hailing app to your base. In the afternoon, see the Plateau business district from the lagoon side, including St Paul's Cathedral, with its striking modern design and stained glass. Walk the cathedral grounds, then return by car for dinner, avoiding walking after dark as the Foreign Office advises.

Signal Orange 4G LTE is reliable in the Plateau, Cocody and Marcory; it's strong enough at the airport to book a ride-hailing car as soon as you land.
Day 2 Abidjan

Banco National Park and Cocody

Banco is about 20 to 30 minutes' drive from the Plateau.

Go early to Banco National Park, a patch of primary rainforest on the edge of Abidjan, and walk its shaded trails with a guide. Afterwards, drive past the fanicos, the open-air laundry workers washing clothes in the river at the park's edge. In the afternoon, visit the Musée des Civilisations de Côte d'Ivoire in Plateau, which holds masks and sculpture from the country's many peoples.

Signal Coverage is good at the park entrance but weakens under the forest canopy; download an offline map of Abidjan before entering.
Day 3 Grand-Bassam

Grand-Bassam

Grand-Bassam is about 40 km from Abidjan, roughly 45 minutes to an hour by car.

Drive east to Grand-Bassam, the first colonial capital and a UNESCO World Heritage site. Walk the Quartier France, with its galleried colonial buildings, the old governor's palace now home to the National Costume Museum, and the N'zima fishing village. Spend the late afternoon on the beach, swimming only where locals do, since the Atlantic currents here are strong.

Signal Orange 4G covers the town and beach well; signal can thin slightly in the older buildings of the Quartier France.
Day 4 Assinie

Assinie and the lagoon

Grand-Bassam to Assinie takes about 1 to 1.5 hours by road.

Continue east to Assinie, a long strip of sand between the Aby Lagoon and the ocean. Take a pirogue on the lagoon to see the mangroves and fishing villages, then spend the afternoon on the beach. The sea here is rough, so use the lagoon for swimming and keep to areas your guesthouse recommends.

Signal 4G is usable in Assinie-Mafia village and along the main road, but expect weaker coverage on the lagoon and at the far ends of the peninsula.
Day 5 Yamoussoukro

Drive to Yamoussoukro

Assinie to Yamoussoukro is roughly 4 to 5 hours by car via Abidjan and the A3 motorway; travel only in daylight.

Head back west and then north on the motorway to Yamoussoukro, the official capital and birthplace of Félix Houphouët-Boigny. In the afternoon, visit the Basilica of Our Lady of Peace, one of the largest churches in the world, modelled on St Peter's in Rome, with a guided tour of its dome and stained glass. Dress modestly and carry your passport, which you may be asked to show.

Signal The motorway between Abidjan and Yamoussoukro mostly has 4G, with some gaps; Yamoussoukro itself has good Orange coverage.
Day 6 Abidjan

Yamoussoukro and back to Abidjan

Yamoussoukro to Abidjan is about 3 hours by motorway.

In the morning, see the lake outside the Presidential Palace, where sacred crocodiles live, from the public road, and drive past the Félix Houphouët-Boigny Foundation and the wide avenues of the capital. Drive back to Abidjan in daylight and spend the late afternoon in Treichville or Marcory, with the market and Zone 4's cafes.

Signal Good coverage on the motorway approach and across Abidjan; use it to book a ride-hailing car for the evening rather than hailing in the street.
Day 7 Abidjan

Craft shopping and departure

Spend your last morning at the craft market in Treichville or the Cocody market, then drive past the Hôtel Ivoire, a landmark of 1960s Abidjan. Leave plenty of time for the airport road and security; keep your passport, e-visa approval and yellow fever certificate together and easy to reach.

Signal Strong 4G across central Abidjan and at the airport, so you can check in online and track your car to the terminal.

Staying connected on this route

Install a ride-hailing app before you land; the Foreign Office recommends these or pre-booked cars rather than street taxis.
Download offline maps of Abidjan, Grand-Bassam and the A3 motorway, as signal can drop on the lagoon and between towns.
The Foreign Office advises against all travel to the northern border areas and Comoé National Park; this route stays in the south and centre.

Itinerary sources · 3

gov.uk Côte d'Ivoire travel advice – GOV.UK
gov.uk Côte d'Ivoire safety and security – GOV.UK
whc.unesco.org Historic Town of Grand-Bassam – UNESCO World Heritage Centre

Where this comes from

Information and verification

Each block below says what was checked and when. Anything we cannot date, we do not claim.

Prices and plans: Every price and allowance on this page is read from the live catalog, not typed in.; Verified November 3, 2026
Host networks: The operator list comes from the network partner that carries this eSIM.; Verified November 3, 2026