In a flourish of national optimism, Senegal unveiled its “New Technology Deal” last week, multi million-dollar digital transformation project spearheaded not by seasoned bureaucrats, but by the very executives who have disrupted its growing tech scene. President Bassirou Diomaye Faye, in a ceremony brimming with the pomp and promise of progress at Diamniadio’s gleaming conference centre, presented the initiative as the key to unlocking Senegal’s digital future, a cornerstone of his broader “Senegal 2050” vision. Visibly inspired by Faye’s recent trip to Silicon Valley in California, this grand new initiative promises a total overhaul of Senegal’s digital architecture. However, as the rhetoric soared and the screens displayed sleek digital interfaces, a critical question hangs in the Senegalese air: can this ambitious plan, backed by private sector flair, truly overcome the ingrained realities of state bureaucracy and a persistent digital divide?
The headline figures are eye-catching. The $1.76 billion USD commitment is intended to modernise Senegal’s administration, turbocharge internet access, and establish a coveted “digital sovereignty” — buzzwords that resonate deeply in a nation keen to assert its place on the global stage. Financing, as is often the delicate dance with grand state projects, is a patchwork of an anticipated $1.28 billion USD from state coffers, $240 million USD from private investors, and a rather less concrete $248 million USD “to be secured”.
The blueprint itself, at least on paper, addresses some of Senegal’s most pressing structural challenges. Streamlining clunky administrative processes, a biometric digital identity system (with its attendant privacy implications, of course), and a centralised digital platform for land registry and tax payments are all designed to chip away at the perennial thorns of inefficiency and corruption that have long hampered Senegal’s progress. An incubation and financing programme for tech startups in Senegal further hints at a desire to cultivate a homegrown tech ecosystem, rather than simply importing foreign solutions. Whether this translates to genuine empowerment or simply another layer of state-controlled patronage remains, for now, in the realm of hopeful speculation.
Perhaps the most intriguing, and arguably audacious, element of this “New Technology Deal” is the government’s decision to parachute in leaders from the sharp end of Senegal’s digital economy. Oumar Cissé, CEO of InTouch, a digital payments aggregator, and Coura Tine, Regional Director for Wave, the mobile money disruptor famed for its zero-fee model, are now tasked with co-chairing the 20-member National Digital Council. This move, on the face of it, suggests a pragmatic acknowledgement from Dakar that the dynamism of the private sector is essential to achieving digital transformation. InTouch and Wave have undeniably demonstrated an ability to navigate the complexities of the Senegalese market and deliver digital solutions that resonate with consumers. The implicit wager is that these industry insiders can inject much-needed velocity into a state apparatus often perceived as moving at a decidedly more leisurely pace. Time will tell whether this gamble pays off, or if private sector expertise will be diluted by the inertia of state bureaucracy.
The initiative’s flagship projects paint a picture of a digitally streamlined Senegal. The proposed biometric digital identity, envisioned as the key to unlocking access to public services, promises to cut through red tape and eliminate the need for bureaucratic intermediaries. A “single citizen window,” offering a one-stop shop for everything from tax payments to land records, aims to dismantle the notorious inefficiencies that plague these essential processes. While such promises have a familiar ring to those acquainted with previous digitalisation efforts in Senegal — many of which have been more notable for their launch ceremonies than tangible results — the involvement of private sector figures at least offers a glimmer of hope that this time might be different.
The rhetoric of “digital sovereignty” also features prominently in the government’s pronouncements. President Faye, echoing a growing sentiment across the continent, has emphasised the need for Senegal to control its own digital destiny, wary of over-reliance on foreign tech giants. The establishment of an “AI & Digital Factory” to cultivate local expertise in artificial intelligence, cloud computing, and cybersecurity is presented as a key step towards achieving this digital independence. Ambitious plans to formally integrate the informal economy, a significant segment of Senegal’s economic activity, into the digital financial system are also on the agenda. However, sceptics will note that achieving genuine digital sovereignty in a globalised technological landscape is a tall order, requiring not just political will but also massive investment in digital literacy, infrastructure, and — crucially — cybersecurity.
The government has been laying some groundwork. Earlier this year, a decree implementing the 2020 Startup Act was adopted, and plans for eight territorial economic hubs — presumably intended to benefit from this digital injection — are reportedly advancing. Under the ‘New Technology Deal’, government further intends to further update and operationalize the Startup Act.
Senegal ’s tech bet is undeniably audacious. President Faye is wagering a significant portion of the nation’s resources on a digital transformation that promises to reshape its economy and society. Whether this “New Technology Deal” truly delivers on its lofty ambitions, fostering genuine inclusion, sustainable development, and good governance, or becomes another well-intentioned but ultimately underwhelming government program, remains to be seen. Investors — and indeed, Senegalese citizens — will be watching the rollout of this billion-dollar experiment very closely indeed.
Other members of the 20-member National Council of the New Deal in Technology include:
- Mr. Moustapha Cissé, artificial intelligence specialist
- Mr. Hamidou Dia, Vice President of Solution Cloud Engineer
- Mr. Ibrahima Nour Eddine Diagne, General Administrator of Gaïndé 2000
- Ms. Nafy Diagne, Director of Strategy and Transformation at Yas Senegal
- Mr. Momar Diop, President of Sens Start-up
- Mr. Sidy Diop, Partner
- Mr. Isidor Diouf, CEO of Senegal Digital Sa
- Mr. Assane Gueye, Cyber Security Specialist
- Ms. Ndeye Absa Gningue, Head of Digital Innovation at the Development Bank (Bad)
- Ms. Fatou Sow Kane, CEO of Expresso Senegal
- Mr. Mouhamed Mbengue, Partner and CEO of Grant Thornton Technologies
- Ms. Aminata Ndiaye Niang, Deputy CEO of Sonatel
- Mr. Basile Niane, CEO of Social net link
- Mr. Antoine Ngom, President of the ICT Professionals Organization
- Mame Mame Fatou Wone, Engineer in Question and Information System.
- Mr. Dahirou Thiam, CEO of Artp
- Mr. Meïssa Tall, CEO KPMG Africa at KPMG
- Mr. Baïdy Sy, Digital Transformation Specialist at the World Bank