The industrialization of southwestern Côte d’Ivoire is based on wood processing and agro-industry, opened to the outside world by the creation of a port in San Pedro. Started in the 1970s, the process is part of territorial planning initiated by the government through the South West Regional Planning Authority (ARSO). The operation consisted of promoting regional industrial development by relying on the port. The objective of this research is to provide a historical review of the evolution of the industrial fabric in the port city of San Pedro and its surroundings, formerly called southwestern region. To carry out this study, it was sufficient to use literature research and conduct field surveys. The results first provide feedback on the industrialization policy of the southwestern region articulated around the port of San Pedro. In fact, the typological choice of the industry focused on the valorization of the region's resources through the processing of wood and agricultural products. What happened next relates a weak or even zero establishment in the departments during the last more than 50 years, except San Pedro acquired a port and a developed industrial zone. In addition, the infrastructure still does not meet all the expectations initiated by ARSO in the field of heavy industries.