During a Council of Ministers meeting held on Wednesday, May 20, 2026, Prime Minister Ousmane Sonko addressed the pressing issue of market management across Senegal. He observed that the nation’s commercial infrastructure, much of which dates back to the 1970s, is severely dilapidated and poses significant safety hazards.
The head of government disclosed a stark statistic: between 2013 and 2024, a staggering fifty-three (53) markets experienced at least one fire incident, underscoring the precarious state of the sector. His in-depth diagnostic analysis identified critical challenges spanning governance, technical aspects, infrastructure, organization, environmental concerns, and public health.
Prime Minister Sonko also highlighted ongoing efforts through the Market Modernization and Management Program (PROMOGEM), whose strategic development plan is set to run from 2025 to 2029. According to Mr. Sonko, this comprehensive plan aims to overhaul 528 existing markets and facilitate the construction of 67 new, modern commercial spaces. He further detailed the main objectives of the pilot phase, while acknowledging the constraints encountered.
57.5 billion FCFA over four years and institutional reform
To enhance the structure’s operational agility, budgetary efficiency, and capacity to attract innovative funding, the Prime Minister proposed several solutions. These include an institutional transformation into an entity with administrative and financial autonomy, a substantial financial allocation of 57.5 billion FCFA over four (04) years from the State’s Public Investment Plan (PIP), and a thorough revision of the existing legal framework.
In this context, Ousmane Sonko instructed the Minister of Industry and Commerce, in collaboration with the Minister of Finance and Budget and the Minister of Urban Planning, Territorial Communities, and Land Management, to devise and implement a network of modern markets throughout the national territory. He also emphasized the importance of rigorous management for these commercial facilities by local Territorial Communities and the national private sector.
The head of government disclosed a stark statistic: between 2013 and 2024, a staggering fifty-three (53) markets experienced at least one fire incident, underscoring the precarious state of the sector. His in-depth diagnostic analysis identified critical challenges spanning governance, technical aspects, infrastructure, organization, environmental concerns, and public health.
Prime Minister Sonko also highlighted ongoing efforts through the Market Modernization and Management Program (PROMOGEM), whose strategic development plan is set to run from 2025 to 2029. According to Mr. Sonko, this comprehensive plan aims to overhaul 528 existing markets and facilitate the construction of 67 new, modern commercial spaces. He further detailed the main objectives of the pilot phase, while acknowledging the constraints encountered.
57.5 billion FCFA over four years and institutional reform
To enhance the structure’s operational agility, budgetary efficiency, and capacity to attract innovative funding, the Prime Minister proposed several solutions. These include an institutional transformation into an entity with administrative and financial autonomy, a substantial financial allocation of 57.5 billion FCFA over four (04) years from the State’s Public Investment Plan (PIP), and a thorough revision of the existing legal framework.
In this context, Ousmane Sonko instructed the Minister of Industry and Commerce, in collaboration with the Minister of Finance and Budget and the Minister of Urban Planning, Territorial Communities, and Land Management, to devise and implement a network of modern markets throughout the national territory. He also emphasized the importance of rigorous management for these commercial facilities by local Territorial Communities and the national private sector.
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