Ongoing scrutiny over the ‘One student, one laptop’ program

Six parliamentary inquiry commissions are on the agenda of the extraordinary session convened by the National Assembly on August 10, 2026. Among them, the most debated concerns alleged irregularities in the awarding and execution of contracts for the One student, one laptop initiative, managed by the Ministry of Higher Education since 2017. The program, with an estimated total financial commitment of 48 billion CFA francs, has sparked intense political and media speculation. Could this inquiry be indirectly targeting former minister Abdourahmane Diouf?

Long-standing allegations resurface

The controversy is not new. As far back as November 8, 2025, the then-Prime Minister Ousmane Sonko publicly flagged irregularities in the management of higher education programs, specifically pointing to the administration of the ministry under Abdourahmane Diouf. In response, the former minister called for a parliamentary inquiry to fully investigate these matters, including the construction of five university sites, while acknowledging shared responsibility alongside the Prime Minister.

However, it is important to note that the Ministry of Higher Education has undergone significant leadership turnover in recent years. Abdourahmane Diouf was followed by Daouda Ngom, and then Boubacar Camara, who took office on June 1, 2026. The inquiry commission’s scope spans from 2017 to 2026, theoretically covering the tenure of multiple ministers across different periods.

Political rift fuels speculation

The timing of the inquiry coincides with a growing political divide between Sonko and Diouf. After serving as a leader within the ruling coalition’s Awalé party, Abdourahmane Diouf joined Kiiraay – Les Patriotes républicains, the new party backed by President Bassirou Diomaye Faye. This shift has fueled rumors among political observers that the inquiry may be a veiled attempt to settle scores rather than a genuine accountability effort.

The official decree convening the extraordinary session does not explicitly name Abdourahmane Diouf. Instead, the inquiry covers the entire 2017–2026 period, implicating multiple ministers and technical departments within the Ministry of Higher Education without singling out any individual in the formal text.

While the timing of the inquiry aligns with Diouf’s departure from the presidential camp and his alliance with Kiiraay, there is currently no concrete evidence to confirm that Ousmane Sonko is specifically targeting his former government colleague through this parliamentary process. Only the findings of the upcoming inquiry commission, once established and publicized, will reveal the full extent of accountability regarding the 48 billion CFA franc program.