• Senegal hosts FII 2025 forum, draws over 3,000 participants
• Government targets 5.675 trillion XOF private investment for priority sectors
• New reforms aim to boost investor confidence and legal clarity

The second edition of the Invest in Senegal Forum, FII Senegal 2025, opened on Tuesday, October 7, at the Abdou Diouf International Conference Center (CICAD) in Diamniadio. The two-day event, which runs through October 8, gathered more than 3,000 participants exploring business and investment opportunities in the West African nation.

At the opening ceremony, organized by the National Agency for the Promotion of Investments and Major Projects (APIX), President Bassirou Diomaye Diakhar Faye outlined his vision for the country’s economic future. 

“This forum is, in line with its theme, an opportunity to connect ideas and opportunities to build the future.It reflects our determination to build bridges between talents, ideas, resources, and markets, a call to co-create sustainable solutions for Senegal’s and Africa’s progress. We want every meeting here to help build a collective future where one person’s success strengthens another’s, through mutually beneficial partnerships,” he said.

New Administration Targets a Sharper Legal Framework

Senegal’s new administration is seeking both domestic and foreign financing to support growth while keeping debt levels under control and addressing a 14% budget deficit and public debt equivalent to 119% of GDP. To restore investor confidence, the government has launched a series of structural reforms centered on transparency and sound fiscal management. 

These include the National Economic and Social Recovery Plan, administrative reform, full digitalization of government procedures, and the revision of the Investment Code in September. Updates have also been made to the General Tax Code, the Customs Code, and the Labor Code. Further reforms to the Public Procurement Code, public-private partnership laws, and regulations governing special economic zones are expected before the end of the year. The overall objective is to strengthen Senegal’s attractiveness to investors and accelerate the development of key sectors in line with the “Vision Senegal 2050” National Transformation Agenda.

Strategic Sectors Require 5.675 trillion XOF in Private Capital

Under the National Development Strategy (SND) 2025-2029, which serves as the operational framework for the first phase of Vision Senegal 2050, the government has identified priority projects totaling 18.497 trillion XOF. Public funding will cover 12.821 trillion XOF, while 5.675 trillion XOF is expected to come from the private sector through direct investment and public-private partnerships.

Priority sectors include transport and infrastructure, which account for 11.2% of public investment and include projects such as the Dakar-Tamba railway rehabilitation and the Dakar-Tivaouane-Saint-Louis highway. Agriculture, livestock, and fishing represent 10.5% of planned investment, with initiatives to develop storage and cold-chain facilities. Education, training, and research account for 10%, including the construction of new universities. The environment, water, and sanitation sector represents 8.8%, while housing and urban planning account for 7% of total investment.

In the energy, mining, and hydrocarbons sector, where most funding is expected to come from private investors, public financing represents only 4.8%. Notable projects include a Gas-to-Power pipeline and the establishment of a regional mining hub. In the digital sector, President Faye cited an investment need of about $1.75 billion to implement the “New Technological Deal,” focused on developing data centers, expanding fiber-optic infrastructure, and strengthening the country’s digital sovereignty.

Focus on Strategic, Win-Win Partnerships

President Faye reaffirmed that Senegal is open for business and ready for investment. Beyond its economic potential, he highlighted the country’s young, skilled, and connected population as a valuable resource for investors seeking to create shared prosperity. Emphasizing his vision of mutually beneficial partnerships, he said the government seeks strategic investors rather than purely financial ones. 

“We want partnerships built on technology and skills transfer, integration of local value chains through procurement from Senegalese SMEs, and investments that help develop an integrated national industry,” he explained. This approach also includes co-investment mechanisms designed to encourage local participation in project ownership.

Faye concluded by underscoring Senegal’s position as an expanding market within the African Continental Free Trade Area (AfCFTA), supported by a modernizing legal and regulatory framework aimed at attracting long-term, responsible investment.