While many African governments are attempting to restrict internet use for fear of its use for disinformation or propaganda purposes, Senegal is accelerating its efforts to make digital technology a driver of economic and social development.
In 2016, the implementation of a National Digital Strategy for 2025 (SN2025) aimed to develop by 2025
- Open and affordable access to digital networks and services
- A connected administration serving citizens and businesses
- Promoting an innovative and value-creating digital industry
- The spread of digital technology in priority economic sectors
with the slogan "digital technology for everyone and for all uses in Senegal by 2025, with a dynamic and innovative private sector in a high-performance ecosystem."
The action plan decided in 2016 consisted of 28 reforms and 69 projects for an investment of 1.361 billion CFA francs.
Result: Senegal is already by far the regional leader in digital technology and innovation.
According to the latest figures from Africascope, it is indeed the country with the highest number of daily internet users among the eight countries studied by KANTAR.
Daily Internet users Connection time
As a percentage of the population
Senegal 74% 2:31
Mali 58% 1:06
Gabon 50% 1:32
Ivory Coast 49% 1:38
Burkina Faso 49% 1:13
DRC 46% 1:44
Cameroon 44% 1:45
Republic of the Congo 32% 1:15
(Source: Africascope 2023)
With 2025 approaching, digital players were invited to submit their proposals between July 26 and August 5, 2024, on Senegal's digital strategy for the next decade.
In early October, stakeholders in Senegal's digital ecosystem gathered under the auspices of the Ministry of Communication, Telecommunications, and Digital Technology for a workshop dedicated to the New Digital Strategy for 2025-2035.
During the day, participants explored the broad outlines of the strategy and discussed its potential impact on their respective sectors. These contributions and recommendations will enrich the digital development approach sought by the government.
This commitment at the highest level of government to pursue the development of digital technology in a structured manner is also beneficial for those involved in audiovisual creation, who have access to infrastructure that ensures its development not only through terrestrial (digital) broadcasting but also through all new modes of program consumption via the internet.