Senegal’s prime minister pushes for autonomous market management agency

Dakar – Senegal’s Prime Minister has highlighted the urgent need to address the deteriorating conditions and security risks plaguing the country’s markets, advocating for the establishment of an independent administrative body dedicated to their oversight.

Diagnosing market challenges in Senegal

In a recent government statement, the Prime Minister underscored the alarming state of Senegal’s commercial infrastructure, citing widespread obsolescence and significant safety hazards. Speaking before the Council of Ministers, he noted that between 2013 and 2024, 53 markets across the nation have suffered at least one major fire incident—an issue that demands immediate structural intervention.

The Prime Minister’s assessment revealed a multifaceted crisis affecting Senegal’s markets, spanning technical, infrastructural, organizational, environmental, and sanitary dimensions. To tackle these issues, the government has been implementing the Market Modernization and Management Program (PROMOGEM), which has achieved measurable progress in recent years.

PROMOGEM’s strategic roadmap for 2025–2029

The program has developed a five-year strategic plan aimed at transforming Senegal’s market landscape. Key initiatives include:

• Restructuring all 528 existing markets to meet modern standards;
• Constructing 67 new, state-of-the-art markets across the country;
• Enhancing the program’s operational efficiency and financial agility to attract innovative funding sources.

Proposed institutional reforms for greater autonomy

The Prime Minister has called for a structural overhaul of PROMOGEM, transforming it into an entity with full administrative and financial autonomy. This proposed change includes securing a 57.5 billion CFA franc allocation over four years, drawn from the state’s public investment budget.

To ensure nationwide implementation, the Prime Minister has tasked ministers in charge of Industry, Commerce, Finance, and the Budget with developing a nationwide network of modern markets. He has also emphasized the importance of rigorous management by local authorities and private sector partners to sustain these improvements.