In a decisive move to address decades of neglect, Prime Minister Ousmane Sonko has delivered a stark assessment of Senegal’s market infrastructure during a recent Council of Ministers meeting. The review highlighted systemic issues plaguing the nation’s commercial hubs, many of which date back to the 1970s and now pose serious safety and operational risks.
Shocking figures underscore the urgency of the situation: between 2013 and 2024, 53 markets across the country experienced at least one fire incident, exposing vulnerabilities in both governance and infrastructure. The assessment identified critical challenges spanning technical deficiencies, inadequate facilities, organizational inefficiencies, environmental hazards, and sanitation concerns.
PROMOGEM: A blueprint for transformation
The government’s Programme de Modernisation et de Gestion des Marchés (PROMOGEM) has emerged as the cornerstone of this overhaul. With a strategic vision spanning 2025 to 2029, PROMOGEM aims to revamp 528 existing markets while constructing 67 new, state-of-the-art facilities nationwide. Sonko outlined the pilot phase’s priorities, acknowledging both progress and persistent obstacles.
A 57.5 billion FCFA investment and institutional reform
To breathe life into this initiative, Sonko proposed sweeping reforms to enhance operational agility, financial efficiency, and access to innovative funding. Key measures include:
- Institutional autonomy: Transforming market management into a financially and administratively independent entity.
- 4-year funding commitment: Allocating 57.5 billion FCFA from the Public Investment Plan (PIP) to modernize facilities and upgrade infrastructure.
- Regulatory overhaul: Updating legal frameworks to streamline operations and accountability.
The Prime Minister tasked the Minister of Industry and Commerce—working alongside counterparts from Finance, Budget, Urban Planning, Territorial Communities, and Land Development—to spearhead the creation of a nationwide network of modern markets. Ensuring rigorous management by local authorities and the private sector remains a top priority to sustain long-term viability.
