Can the Service Sector Lead Structural Transformation in Africa? Evidence from Côte d’Ivoire

African economies are increasingly shifting from agriculture to services without passing through manufacturing. Using firm-level data from Côte d’Ivoire, this study shows that productive services can drive structural transformation by combining high productivity with strong labor absorption. Service firms outperform agriculture and manufacturing in productivity and account for the largest growth in formal employment, particularly among unskilled workers.