Côte d'Ivoire has inaugurated its first public DNA analysis laboratory, operational since 1 November 2025 and located at the VITIB technology park in Grand-Bassam (an industrial zone near the former colonial capital on the country's southern coast). The facility, directed by Professor David Téa Okou, is equipped to handle criminal forensic samples as well as paternity tests, which previously had to be sent abroad at significant cost — tests now start at 350,000 CFA francs (roughly $580) and are conducted entirely on-site. Beyond its judicial and civil applications, the laboratory is also expected to contribute to genomic research on African populations, a field that remains notably underexplored.