Ivorian businessman Koné Daouda Soukpafolo takes control of Uniwax

Ivorian businessman Koné Daouda Soukpafolo has taken control of Uniwax after his Compagnie Ivoirienne de Coton acquired 15 million shares from the Vlisco Group, securing a 72.29% stake in the Ivorian textile maker.

The transaction gives COIC direct control of one of the country’s major textile businesses. 

The acquisition was completed through an off-market private transaction, according to four ownership threshold declarations published Friday, Sept. 18.

COIC disclosed its entry into Uniwax’s share capital, while FRAGECI, CFCI SA and Vlisco B.V. reported the disposal of their holdings. The financial terms of the transaction were not disclosed.

COIC takes the reins 

FRAGECI accounted for the bulk of the shares transferred, selling 14,632,275 shares, representing 70.5% of Uniwax’s capital.

CFCI SA transferred 262,500 shares, or 1.3%, while Vlisco B.V. sold 105,225 shares, equivalent to 0.5% of the company’s capital. 

COIC said it plans to participate directly in Uniwax’s governance over the next 12 months, marking a shift in control following the completion of the transaction.

The acquisition also brings the textile manufacturer under the direct influence of Soukpafolo’s cotton business, connecting raw-material production with downstream textile manufacturing.

Deal announced months earlier 

The change in ownership follows an agreement announced by Uniwax on Feb. 10, 2026, under which COIC agreed to acquire the Vlisco Group’s stake.

The proposed transaction covered 15 million of Uniwax’s 20.75 million outstanding shares, making it large enough to transfer effective control once completed. 

At the time of the announcement, the transaction remained subject to regulatory approvals, leaving Vlisco as Uniwax’s controlling shareholder.

Friday’s ownership disclosures confirm that those shares have now changed hands, completing COIC’s acquisition and ending Vlisco Group’s direct shareholding in Uniwax.

A new ownership chapter 

The transaction reshapes the shareholder structure of a company with deep roots in Ivory Coast’s textile industry.

For COIC, the acquisition extends its position beyond cotton production into textile manufacturing, while Uniwax enters a new phase under an Ivorian-controlled shareholder with plans to take an active role in governance. 

The deal also represents the formal exit of FRAGECI, CFCI SA and Vlisco B.V. from Uniwax’s share capital through the transferred holdings.

Although the purchase price remains undisclosed, the 15 million-share transaction gives COIC a decisive majority and establishes Soukpafolo as the businessman behind Uniwax’s new controlling shareholder.