Senegal: 88 billion FCFA to assemble computers and smartphones and reduce $720 million in imports

Senegal wants to stop buying the computers and phones used by its government agencies and households from abroad. The Minister of Telecommunications and Digital Economy, Samba Diouf, signed a partnership worth approximately 88 billion FCFA with the World Council for Investment and Business in Africa (CMIA) and the company Blue Cloud Softech Solutions on October 6, 2026, reports We Are Tech Africa.

The stakes are quantified by the ministry itself: the country imports about 419 billion FCFA worth of IT equipment annually, or nearly 720 million dollars. This represents a significant amount of value-added, jobs, and tax revenue being created outside of West Africa.

Assemble, certify, own

The agreement is not just about assembling spare parts. It covers assembly, quality control, the supply of accessories, certification, and intellectual property—the segments where the margins are found. The CMIA is tasked with mobilizing private capital through its network, Blue Cloud Softech Solutions will provide technological expertise, and the framework will rely on some 200 Senegalese start-ups.

An assembly complex is announced for Diamniadio in December 2026. Initial production is expected to focus on computers, smartphones, and tablets, with a component for technology transfer and training.

A precedent in Keur Ndiaye Lo

The country is not starting from scratch. The company SunuCorp is already assembling laptops, all-in-one units, interactive screens, and kiosks from imported parts in Keur Ndiaye Lo, with an estimated capacity of 7,500 computers per year. It plans to provide training for students from engineering schools and technical high schools. According to a publication dedicated to this site, 54% of the Senegalese population remains without IT and mobile equipment, largely due to their cost.

The partnership is part of the "Sénégal Digital Factory: from idea to product" program, launched in April 2026 with the Diamniadio UniPod to link innovation, prototyping, entrepreneurship, and production. On that occasion, the ministry had projected a potential of 150,000 to 200,000 direct and indirect jobs over five years, for a total estimated investment of 100 billion FCFA.

The approach joins a continental movement: after West African shea and Guinean gold, the same battle is being fought in electronics—the shift from a consumption model to a production capacity. The question remains, which the calendar will decide: meeting the December 2026 deadlines and the portion actually manufactured in Senegal rather than simply assembled on-site.