One year after Cyclone Chido, Mayotte's economy is showing a recovery driven by reconstruction works, according to the latest annual report from IEDOM (the overseas territories monetary authority). Imports surged nearly 26% to exceed 300 million euros — an unprecedented level — but the island's structural fragilities persist.
Reconstruction as the economic engine
The construction and public works sector (BTP) is the primary economic driver in 2025-2026. The rehabilitation of housing, public buildings and infrastructure damaged by Chido is generating unprecedented demand for construction materials, equipment and labour. Public investment — backed by the French state and local authorities — accompanies the private dynamic.
The import explosion directly reflects this intensity: construction materials, industrial equipment and vehicles dominate external purchases. Households also stimulated consumption, notably through bank credit to finance renovation works — consumer credit activity notably strengthened over the period.
Controlled inflation despite the shock
A notable point: inflation remained modest at 1.3% year-on-year despite the demand surge linked to reconstruction. This reflects effective supply chain management and a local market absorption capacity that exceeded initial fears.
Fragilities that have not disappeared
IEDOM nonetheless warns against excessive optimism. Mayotte still faces high unemployment, infrastructure insufficient for sustained demographic growth, and persistent dependence on state transfers. Agriculture suffered heavily from the cyclone, compromising short-term food autonomy objectives. Access to drinking water remains a real challenge amid growing climate pressure.
The 2026 challenge is not just to rebuild what existed before, but to construct a more resilient economy less dependent on cyclical public spending.
Why it matters
Mayotte, a French territory at the heart of the Indian Ocean between East Africa and Madagascar, occupies a strategic geographic position. Its reconstruction represents an opportunity for regional BTP, materials and engineering companies — notably from Réunion, Mauritius and Madagascar's east coast. Public procurement contracts linked to reconstruction merit attention from Indian Ocean operators.