Senegal

Republic of Senegal

French West African CFA (XOF) French civil law
AU, ECOWAS, WAEMU, AfCFTA, WTO, OIC
Senegal is one of West Africa's most stable democracies and fastest-growing economies. The country is on the verge of a major economic transformation with the imminent start of oil and gas production from the Sangomar field (operated by Woodside Energy) and the Greater Tortue Ahmeyim (GTA) LNG project (shared with Mauritania).

Dakar is a major business hub for francophone West Africa, hosting the regional offices of many international organizations and multinationals. The Diamniadio new city project, the Blaise Diagne International Airport, and the TER commuter rail represent significant infrastructure investments.

President Bassirou Diomaye Faye (elected March 2024) has signaled a focus on economic sovereignty, renegotiation of natural resource contracts, and youth employment. Senegal benefits from CFA franc zone currency stability and a well-educated workforce.

Snapshot

Population~19.2 MWorld Bank WDI
GDP (current USD)$36.8 BIMF WEO
GDP per Capita$1,850IMF WEO
GDP Growth8.30%IMF WEO
Inflation (y/y)~2.00%Central Bank / IMF
Policy Rate (BCEAO policy rate)3.50%Central Bank
Unemployment22.00%ILO / National Stats
Internet Use~58.00%World Bank WDI
Electrification~70.00%World Bank WDI
CPI Score (Rank)43.0/100 (#73)Transparency Intl
HDI (Rank)0.511 (#170)UNDP HDR
Credit RatingB+ (S&P) / Ba3 (Moody's) / B+ (Fitch)S&P / Moody's / Fitch
MarketBRVM (Bourse Regionale, Abidjan-based)

Focus Sectors

Oil & Gas (emerging
Sangomar field)
Fishing
Agriculture (peanuts
rice)
Mining (phosphates
gold
zircon)
Tourism
Telecoms
Construction
Cement
Financial Services
Digital Economy

Regulations & Taxes

Corporate Income Tax30% standard
VAT / Sales Tax18% standard
Data Notes: Population, GDP, and GDP per capita are latest IMF WEO / World Bank estimates. Inflation is year-over-year. Trade data from UN Comtrade/OEC (2023). Tax rates from PwC/KPMG country guides. CPI from Transparency International. HDI from UNDP Human Development Report.
Narrative last updated: April 8, 2026.