• First UniPod opens in Diamniadio with support from UNDP

• Hub brings together students, researchers, startups, and private sector

• Project is part of a national plan to scale innovation and create jobs

Senegal has launched its first University Innovation and Technology Hub (UniPod) in Diamniadio, marking a step in its effort to strengthen the country’s innovation ecosystem. The initiative, unveiled on April 27, was led by Higher Education Minister Daouda Ngom and Digital Economy Minister Alioune Sall, in partnership with the United Nations Development Programme (UNDP).

Located at Amadou Mahtar Mbow University, the UniPod is designed as a co-creation space where students, researchers, startups, and private sector players can collaborate. The facility includes prototyping and testing infrastructure aimed at supporting the development of digital solutions in sectors such as health, agriculture, and education. The Diamniadio site is also expected to host a pan-African EdTech hub, reinforcing its regional role in innovation.

The project is part of the “Senegal Digital Factory” program, which plans to build a national network of innovation hubs. Similar centers are expected in Ziguinchor and Saint-Louis, with the goal of expanding access to technology infrastructure across the country and reducing regional disparities.

Beyond infrastructure, the government aims to reposition universities as key drivers of economic activity. The objective is to turn higher education institutions into centers of innovation capable of developing solutions for both public services and private industry, while also serving as incubators for entrepreneurs and tech startups.

This strategy aligns with the “Senegal 2050” vision and the “New Technological Deal,” which place innovation at the center of economic growth and technological sovereignty. The government targets the creation of more than 500 certified tech startups and about 150,000 direct jobs in the coming years.

Samira Njoya