Debt Crisis: Senegal turns to the IMF [Business Africa]

In this edition of Business Africa, the spotlight is on the economic crisis gripping Senegal.

Carried to power by a wave of hope in 2024, Bassirou Diomaye Faye and Ousmane Sonko made economic sovereignty, institutional reform, and transparent governance the cornerstones of their political agenda. But the harsh realities of economic restructuring have quickly put that momentum to the test.

Faced with the threat of default and weighed down by a massive debt burden, a new government has been formed with a priority mission: reopening negotiations with the International Monetary Fund (IMF). Senegal has already announced its intention to reach an agreement with the Bretton Woods institution before June 30.

Our guest today, Abdoulaye Ndiaye, who was named Best Young African Economist at the latest Africa CEO Forum in Kigali, outlines three key reforms that could help pull Senegal out of the crisis and prevent it from escalating into something far more serious.

In the second half of the programme, we turn our attention to the strategic Port of Lomé, before taking a closer look at a digital tablet developed by Seamless Service Terminal—an innovative tool designed to bring essential services within reach of communities that are too often left behind.