• Government to develop 11 industrial zones by 2029 to boost regional production

• First sites set to launch in 2026, focused on agro-industry and local resources

• Land reform and new investment code aim to attract both local and foreign capital

Senegal announced plans to roll out a network of investment zones across the country, aimed at turning regional resources into engines of growth.

At the 2026 Forum for the Promotion of Investment and Economic Competitiveness (PRICE) in Paris, APIX Director General Bakary Séga Bathily said the government will develop 11 serviced investment zones by 2029, in partnership with the National Land Planning Agency (ANAT).

According to a statement released on April 30, the first zones, located in Médina Yoro Foulah, Bambali, and Touba, are expected to begin operations in 2026. These areas will focus on high-potential sectors such as peanuts, mangoes, cashew nuts, wood, and leather. Bathily described the approach as a “localized industrial policy” designed to turn regional assets into drivers of economic growth.

The zones are designed as fully serviced sites with infrastructure, administrative support, and logistics facilities to speed up the setup of industrial, commercial, and service businesses. The goal is to support local industrialization and reduce barriers to entry for investors.

Bathily also highlighted reforms to land access, long seen as a major obstacle to investment. A one-stop shop for land services, known as GUIFI, was launched in December 2025 to simplify and secure access to land for both domestic and foreign investors across the country.

This reform is part of a broader policy shift that includes a new investment code adopted on September 19, 2025. The law expands eligible sectors, lowers the minimum investment threshold from CFA100 million to CFA15 million (about $26,800), and introduces new frameworks for strategic and socially responsible investments.

Senegal, which secured $23 billion in private investment commitments at the Invest in Senegal forum in 2025, aims to strengthen its regional competitiveness while attracting capital that supports long-term structural transformation.

Bathily said the country is positioning itself not just as a market, but as a partner in transformation, with a focus on technology transfer, local content development, and the emergence of a regional economic hub.

This strategy is already taking shape on the ground. On April 24, construction officially began on the investment zone in Médina Yoro Foulah. The project covers 30 hectares and carries a total cost of CFA3.605 billion. In its first phase, 15 hectares will be allocated to the National Company for the Marketing of Oilseeds (SONACOS) to build a peanut processing plant.

Recent industrial data supports this push. According to the National Agency for Statistics and Demography, the industrial production index rose by 9.9% in January 2026 compared with a year earlier, driven by gains in energy, extractive industries, and manufacturing.

Charlène N’dimon