Dakar, July 13, 2026 — Ousmane Sonko, President of Senegal’s National Assembly and former Prime Minister, has delivered a fiery ultimatum to Prime Minister Al Aminou Lo, threatening to topple his government if national interests are compromised in oil and gas contracts.
Speaking during the inauguration of the Pastef party’s headquarters in Touba, Sonko accused the current administration of “selling off” Senegal’s natural resources to multinational corporations, particularly British Petroleum (BP) and Kosmos Energy. His remarks echoed concerns raised in June when he publicly criticized Al Aminou Lo’s political role.
In a scathing address delivered in Wolof, Sonko declared: “We know what role he played in this political situation”, before adding: “If they continue down this path and disregard the country’s interests, we will bring down this government. And we will keep doing it until our sovereignty is protected.” The threat was met with loud cheers from the crowd.
Parliament as a check on oil deals
To counter what he views as reckless economic policies, Sonko announced plans to introduce a radical bill requiring parliamentary approval for any new oil or gas block allocations. “No petroleum block should be awarded without first being debated and approved by the National Assembly,” he stated, drawing parallels with Norway’s transparent resource management model.
This initiative follows Sonko’s earlier efforts as Prime Minister, when he spearheaded a review of “inherited contracts” deemed non-compliant with Senegal’s petroleum code. His team secured major renegotiations, including the Yakaar-Teranga gas project, which he described as a “historic victory” for national sovereignty.
However, Sonko now accuses the current government of attempting to reverse these gains. His proposed legislation aims to prevent what he calls a “return to the dark days of Macky Sall’s administration”, where natural resources were allegedly mismanaged in favor of foreign interests.
