Senegal’s Premier Ousmane Sonko mobilizes urgent action to revive 245 stalled public projects worth billions
Dakar, May 21, 2026 — Prime Minister Ousmane Sonko has taken decisive action to address a mounting infrastructure crisis, convening a high-level inter-ministerial meeting at the Presidential Administrative Building named after Mamadou Dia. The government’s audit has uncovered 245 public projects and assets—spanning completed, operational, and ongoing initiatives—currently paralyzed by financial, legal, technical, or operational hurdles. These represent a staggering investment exceeding several trillion FCFA, threatening both economic growth and public service delivery.
A comprehensive audit reveals systemic inefficiencies
Completed but idle assets
The audit identified 30 completed infrastructures left unused, with 25 currently stalled—tied up in frozen investments totaling 279 billion FCFA. Fifteen of these have been flagged as high-priority due to their strategic economic impact. Among the most glaring examples are port and maritime facilities in Foundiougne, Soumbédioune, and Ndangane, alongside Youth and Citizenship Centers in multiple regions, and key agricultural projects like the Naatangué ANIDA village farms and agropoles in Mpal, Adéane, Dioulacoulon, and Mbellacadiao.
Undervalued operational assets
Additionally, 23 active assets were flagged for potential recycling or revalorization, with an estimated market value of 1,065 billion FCFA. These include underutilized state properties, particularly in Dakar, and diplomatic representations abroad.
Projects in progress at risk
Ninety-four ongoing projects—62 of which are currently halted—require a total investment of 5,227 billion FCFA. Completing these will demand an additional 973 billion FCFA in funding. Major stalled initiatives include the Sine-Saloum University, 45 Digital Open Spaces (ENO), regional airports in Saint-Louis, Matam, and Kolda, the Ndayane Container Terminal, the Le Joola Memorial, and the Aristide Le Dantec Hospital.
A coordinated task force to break the deadlock
In response, Prime Minister Sonko has instructed the Secretary-General of the Government to establish a dedicated task force, chaired by the Prime Minister, to oversee weekly monitoring and deliver an operational roadmap by June 30, 2026. The committee’s mandate includes proposing solutions to complete stalled projects, develop sustainable management and operational models, and optimize the use of public assets.
The government’s diagnostic highlights financial constraints as the primary obstacle. Forty-two projects are stalled due to insufficient funding, delayed payments, or limited investment credits. Others face technical bottlenecks, legal disputes, or a lack of viable operational frameworks. Sonko emphasized the paradoxical situation of completed but unused infrastructures, often due to coordination gaps, incomplete final handovers, or misalignment with actual needs.
To accelerate progress, the government is prioritizing public-private partnerships (PPPs) to enhance the efficiency of assets such as national stadiums, parks and reserves, and selected state-owned properties and diplomatic missions abroad.
Strategic vision: reducing idle assets and boosting returns
Through this sweeping audit and rationalization effort, the government aims to enhance the effectiveness of public investments, reduce dormant assets, and improve the profitability of state-funded infrastructure. By addressing systemic bottlenecks and fostering sustainable partnerships, Senegal seeks to unlock its infrastructure potential and drive long-term economic development.