• Senegal has inaugurated a vegetable oil refinery with a capacity of 600 tons per day.
• The CFA60bn project aims to cut imports and strengthen food security.
• The plant is expected to support local peanut processing amid sector tensions.

Senegalese President Bassirou Diomaye Faye inaugurated a new edible vegetable oil refinery on January 27 at the port area of Sendou, in the Rufisque district. Built on a 23-hectare site, the facility represents a total investment of CFA60 billion (about $109.5 million) and is operated by agri-food company Mavamar Industries SA.

The refinery has a daily processing capacity of 600 tons of vegetable oil, translating into potential annual output of around 180,000 tons under continuous operation. Authorities said the investment is expected to strengthen food security and reduce the country’s reliance on imports.

“The refinery fully aligns with the President’s vision of economic sovereignty and food self-sufficiency. It will allow the local processing of crude oils, notably from peanuts, palm oil, and other oilseeds, into finished products for the national and sub-regional markets,” the government said in a statement.

For Mavamar, the challenge will be to gain market share in the edible oil segment by gradually substituting part of Senegal’s costly food imports. According to data from the National Agency for Statistics and Demography, Senegal imported an average of 229,059 tons of oils and fats per year between 2020 and 2024. Over the same period, annual import spending averaged nearly CFA124 billion (about $225.8 million).

Boost for peanut processing capacity

The commissioning of the Mavamar refinery in Sendou provides timely support for local peanut processing in Senegal, as the 2025/2026 peanut campaign faces mounting pressure. While national production is expected to exceed 900,000 tons, the sector’s absorption capacity—particularly in processing—remains a concern.

On January 5, the government instructed the National Oilseed Marketing Company of Senegal (SONACOS), the country’s main oil processor, to nearly double its peanut purchasing target to 450,000 tons, up from an initial objective of 250,000 tons. Farmer organizations remain skeptical, especially as the state-owned company has purchased only about 62,000 tons in two months since the start of the campaign. Producers fear market congestion and downward pressure on prices, despite the setting of a minimum purchase price of CFA305 per kilogram.

“We plan to expand our peanut crushing capacity from the first year,” said Mavamar chief executive Souleymane Ndoye, as quoted by the Senegalese Press Agency. While the new facility alone will not be sufficient to absorb the expected surplus, it nevertheless helps diversify industrial outlets and gradually strengthen local peanut processing.

Stéphanas Assocle