Le Banco is an Ivorian digital news organization that publishes daily reporting and commentary on Ivory Coast’s politics, elections, economy, society, culture and sport. Launched on February 21, 2010 in Washington, DC by Lucien Pouamon, Gabriel Diabaté and Serge Bruno Porquet, it was among the country’s early outlets to publish exclusively online. The company was incorporated in Ivory Coast in 2014 as LEBANCO.NET, a single‑member limited liability company managed by Lucien Hypolyte Pouamon and headquartered in Abidjan. Its coverage spans rolling election updates, policy and business news, and regional West African developments, complemented by photo essays and video pieces. The newsroom also opens space for citizen voices through Fanico, a letters‑and‑opinion forum, and runs recurring editorial series such as Arrêt sur images and Que sont‑ils devenus. In 2019, veteran journalist Assane Niada was named director of publication with a brief to deepen field reporting and investigative work. Over fifteen years, Le Banco has been widely regarded in Ivorian media circles as a pioneer of online journalism and is often cited for a fact‑centered approach during politically sensitive periods. The outlet serves readers who want timely, contextualized news on Ivory Coast and the broader region, delivered in a straight, reportorial style with space for debate.

Source: Code for Africa

Last updated date: July 2026

Location:
Abidjan, Ivory Coast
Year the organization started publishing:
2010
Languages:
No information available
Type of coverage:
National

Content

Editorial coverage:
Generalist, focused on multiple topics
Type of content produced by theme:
Education
Environment
Politics
Sports
Economy and finance
Journalism genres:
Interviews and reporting
Information services
Opinion
Journalism coverage types and techniques:
Breaking news
Data journalism
Fact-checking
Tech platforms and other mediums used:
Social media platforms
Podcast
Twitter
Facebook

Audience and reach

Social media audience

Facebook number of followers:
46,000
Twitter number of followers:
727
YouTube number of followers:
2,900

Management and team

Founders

Female:
0
Male:
1
Founders:
Pouamon Lucien Séry
Directors:

Team

Full-time employees:
5
Part-time employees:
0
Freelancers or consultants:
0
Volunteers:
0

Business structure and revenue sources

Organization tax status:
For-profit

Why is this profile included?

This media outlet is part of our directory because it meets SembraMedia’s inclusion criteria: it produces original content, serves the public interest, and works with independence and transparency. This profile was developed using information provided directly by the media outlet, through surveys or interviews. We aim to keep the information current, but SembraMedia does not guarantee its accuracy or completeness, and recommends verifying any key details with the media organization.

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