Prime Minister Ousmane Sonko has underscored the critical state of Senegal’s commercial infrastructure, citing widespread dilapidation and significant safety concerns across the nation’s markets. He has put forward a proposal for the establishment of an independent administrative body specifically tasked with their management and revitalization.
Government spokesperson Marie Rose Faye confirmed Prime Minister Sonko’s observations, noting that the condition of commercial facilities throughout Senegal is characterized by advanced age and substantial security vulnerabilities.
Highlighting the urgency of the situation, Ms. Faye, quoting the Prime Minister, revealed that a staggering 53 markets have been ravaged by one or more fires between 2013 and 2024.
According to the government’s latest Council of Ministers communiqué, Mr. Sonko’s comprehensive assessment identified various challenges impacting these markets, spanning technical, infrastructural, organizational, environmental, and sanitary aspects.
While acknowledging the progress made by the Market Modernization and Management Program (PROMOGEM), the Prime Minister, as relayed by Marie Rose Faye, pointed out that PROMOGEM has already developed a strategic development plan for the period 2025-2029.
This ambitious plan aims to restructure 528 existing markets and facilitate the construction of 67 new, contemporary market facilities, as detailed in the governmental statement.
Ms. Faye further indicated that the Prime Minister has championed solutions designed to grant PROMOGEM greater functional agility, enhanced budgetary efficiency, and a strengthened capacity to attract innovative funding mechanisms.
Ousmane Sonko specifically advocated for an institutional transformation of PROMOGEM, envisioning it as an entity endowed with administrative and financial autonomy. This restructured body would receive a significant financial allocation of 57.5 billion CFA francs over four years, drawn from the state’s public investment plan.
Furthermore, he directed the relevant ministers, including the Minister of Industry and Commerce and the Minister of Finance and Budget, to devise and implement a comprehensive network of modern markets across the entire national territory.
Mr. Sonko also urged them to ensure the stringent management of these commercial facilities by both local authorities and the national private sector.
