China's rising influence in Senegal's major public contracts

Comment la Chine a pris l’avantage sur les groupes français au Sénégal

Ports, stades, hôtels, zones industrielles.. En 20 ans, le centre de gravité des grands contrats sénégalais s’est déplacé. Là où les majors français dominaient hier, entreprises chinoises, turques, tunisiennes et émiraties se partagent désormais la mise

SenePlus

12/05/2026 21h55

ID

1004874

SenePlus |Publication 12/05/2026

In a significant shift, French enterprises now hold a marginal position in Senegal’s major public construction projects. Their share of public contracts has reportedly dwindled to approximately 5%, a stark contrast to the over 30% now commanded by Chinese companies, which are increasingly dominant across the nation’s pivotal infrastructure initiatives.

A prime example of this evolving landscape is the construction of Senegal’s inaugural deep-water port in Ndayane, situated south of Dakar. This ambitious project, valued at over $2 billion, is poised to revolutionize the country’s logistics, job creation, and global connectivity by accommodating the largest container ships in the Atlantic. Clarence Rodrigues, General Director of DP World Dakar, highlighted its potential to