Over the past two years, Senegal’s Ministry of Higher Education has seen three different ministers at its helm: Abdourahmane Diouf, followed by Daouda Ngom, and currently Boubacar Camara, who took office on June 1, 2026.
Six parliamentary inquiry commissions are on the agenda for the extraordinary session convened by the National Assembly on Monday, August 10, 2026. Among them, one stands out for its potential implications: an investigation into alleged irregularities in the procurement and execution of contracts under the « One Student, One Laptop » program, managed by the Ministry of Higher Education, Research, and Innovation (MESRI) since 2017. The total financial commitment for this initiative is estimated at around 48 billion West African CFA francs. A critical question arises: is this inquiry, at its core, targeting former minister Abdourahmane Diouf?
An issue that has simmered for months
This is not a recent development. As early as November 8, 2025, the then-Prime Minister Ousmane Sonko publicly highlighted irregularities in the management of higher education programs, directly implicating the administration led by Abdourahmane Diouf. Diouf, in turn, responded by urging lawmakers to establish a parliamentary inquiry commission to shed full light on these matters, particularly concerning the construction of five university building lots. He acknowledged his share of responsibility alongside the Prime Minister at the time.
The upcoming inquiry covers a span from 2017 to 2026—nearly a decade of program management involving multiple ministers and technical directors at the MESRI. Notably, no names are explicitly mentioned in the official text, leaving room for interpretation.
Political tensions fuel speculation
The timing of this inquiry coincides with Abdourahmane Diouf’s departure from the presidential coalition and his subsequent alignment with Kiiraay – Les Patriotes républicains, a party now backed by President Bassirou Diomaye Faye. This political shift has fueled speculation among observers that the inquiry may serve as a veiled attempt to settle scores rather than a genuine effort to uncover facts.
The official decree convening the extraordinary session does not single out Abdourahmane Diouf by name. However, the broader context of his recent political realignment with a rival faction has intensified discussions about the potential motivations behind the commission’s establishment.
At this stage, no definitive evidence confirms that Ousmane Sonko is specifically targeting his former government colleague through this parliamentary process. The true intentions and conclusions of the inquiry will only become clear once the commission begins its work and releases its findings regarding the management of the program, valued at 48 billion West African CFA francs.