• Senegal enacts law granting universal access to public information
• Reform aims to boost transparency, job access for youth
• AFIC praises move as part of Africa-wide transparency trend

Senegal’s National Assembly in August passed Law No. 14/2025, granting the public a universal right to access information held by government institutions and private entities that perform public functions.

The Africa Freedom of Information Centre (AFIC) welcomed the move on Sunday, Sept. 28, coinciding with the tenth anniversary of the International Day for Universal Access to Information (IDUAI).

The reform follows a broader continental trend and could influence youth employment. Ghana’s Right to Information Act, in force since 2019, has improved access to key economic and social data. Zambia passed a similar law in 2023 to strengthen governance and civic participation.

Transparency and Youth Employment

The push for transparency comes amid persistently high youth unemployment across Africa. In Sub-Saharan Africa, 10% of people aged 15–24 were jobless in 2024, down from 12.5% in 2020, according to the World Bank and ILO. Despite the improvement, national disparities remain wide, and underemployment is widespread.

By becoming the 30th African country to adopt an access-to-information law, Senegal aims to improve transparency in public procurement, budget management, and employment programs. The goal is to make job postings, grant applications, and training opportunities easier for young people to find.

Ghana’s experience is instructive: since 2020, the enforcement of its access law has increased the publication of tenders and training initiatives, according to the National Information Technology Agency (NITA). During the same period, youth unemployment dropped from 6.4% to 5.4%, a change partly linked to the formalization of small enterprises and better access to official job channels, the World Bank reports.

In Zambia, the Access to Information Act, effective since 2024, has improved data sharing on technical and vocational training. Youth unemployment there fell from 11% in 2020 to 9.9% in 2024, as more young people joined skilled trades and technical professions.

Implementation Is Key

The link between access-to-information laws and employment remains indirect. Their success depends on whether governments can publish timely, accessible data and end opaque practices such as the late release of already-filled job opportunities.

Equally crucial is raising awareness among young people about their rights and improving their digital literacy. If these conditions are met, access to information could become a powerful driver of youth employment and transparency across Africa.

Félicien Houindo Lokossou