Prime Minister Ousmane Sonko recently addressed the critical issue of market infrastructure during a Council of Ministers meeting on Wednesday, May 20, 2026. He highlighted the severe state of commercial facilities across Sénégal, many of which date back to the 1970s and are now characterized by advanced dilapidation and significant safety hazards.
The head of government presented a stark reality: between 2013 and 2024, a staggering fifty-three markets experienced one or multiple fires, underscoring the extreme vulnerability of this vital sector. A comprehensive diagnostic analysis unveiled a range of complex challenges spanning technical, infrastructural, organizational, environmental, and sanitary domains, alongside critical governance issues.
Prime Minister Sonko also acknowledged ongoing efforts under the Programme for Market Modernization and Management (PROMOGEM), whose strategic development plan is set to run from 2025 to 2029. This ambitious initiative, according to Mr. Sonko, aims to completely restructure 528 existing markets and facilitate the construction of 67 brand-new, modern commercial hubs. He outlined the core objectives for the pilot phase, while also noting certain operational constraints.
57.5 billion FCFA over four years and institutional reform for Sénégal’s markets
Prime Minister Sonko put forth a series of solutions designed to imbue the market management structure with greater functional agility, enhanced budgetary efficiency, and a stronger capacity to attract innovative funding. Key proposals include an institutional transformation, granting administrative and financial autonomy to the managing entity. Furthermore, a substantial financial injection of 57.5 billion FCFA is earmarked over four years from the State’s Public Investment Plan (PIP), alongside a crucial revision of the existing legal framework.
In this context, Ousmane Sonko specifically instructed the Minister of Industry and Commerce, in collaboration with the Minister of Finance and Budget and the Minister of Urbanism, Territorial Communities and Regional Planning, to develop and implement a nationwide network of modern markets. He stressed the imperative for rigorous management of these commercial assets by local authorities and the national private sector, ensuring their sustainability and optimal operation for the benefit of African society.
The head of government presented a stark reality: between 2013 and 2024, a staggering fifty-three markets experienced one or multiple fires, underscoring the extreme vulnerability of this vital sector. A comprehensive diagnostic analysis unveiled a range of complex challenges spanning technical, infrastructural, organizational, environmental, and sanitary domains, alongside critical governance issues.
Prime Minister Sonko also acknowledged ongoing efforts under the Programme for Market Modernization and Management (PROMOGEM), whose strategic development plan is set to run from 2025 to 2029. This ambitious initiative, according to Mr. Sonko, aims to completely restructure 528 existing markets and facilitate the construction of 67 brand-new, modern commercial hubs. He outlined the core objectives for the pilot phase, while also noting certain operational constraints.
57.5 billion FCFA over four years and institutional reform for Sénégal’s markets
Prime Minister Sonko put forth a series of solutions designed to imbue the market management structure with greater functional agility, enhanced budgetary efficiency, and a stronger capacity to attract innovative funding. Key proposals include an institutional transformation, granting administrative and financial autonomy to the managing entity. Furthermore, a substantial financial injection of 57.5 billion FCFA is earmarked over four years from the State’s Public Investment Plan (PIP), alongside a crucial revision of the existing legal framework.
In this context, Ousmane Sonko specifically instructed the Minister of Industry and Commerce, in collaboration with the Minister of Finance and Budget and the Minister of Urbanism, Territorial Communities and Regional Planning, to develop and implement a nationwide network of modern markets. He stressed the imperative for rigorous management of these commercial assets by local authorities and the national private sector, ensuring their sustainability and optimal operation for the benefit of African society.
