Dakar — One month after reshuffling the government and removing Ousmane Sonko from the Prime Minister’s office, President Bassirou Diomaye Faye continues to assert control over the country’s strategic sectors. A recent leadership change at Petrosen Holding and Somisen signals a clear departure from the previous practice of appointing party loyalists to head state-owned enterprises.
On July 1, 2026, President Faye implemented a major restructuring at the helm of Senegal’s two flagship extractive sector companies. The move, which affects both the national oil company (Petrosen Holding) and the mining corporation (Somisen), reflects a strategic pivot in governance priorities.
Thierno Seydou Ly, an experienced petroleum engineer formerly with TotalEnergies, takes over Petrosen Holding from Alioune Gueye, while Mamady Touré, a geology engineer specializing in mining engineering and training, replaces Ngagne Demba Touré at Somisen. The dismissals came as a surprise to the outgoing leaders, who learned of their removal through media reports rather than official communication from the presidency.
End of an era for party-affiliated leadership in public enterprises
While the presidency has not issued an official statement on the motivations behind these changes, insiders point to growing tensions between President Faye and key figures within his own party, particularly those closely aligned with Ousmane Sonko. Alioune Gueye, former coordinator of the PASTEF party in the United States, and Ngagne Demba Touré, former head of the party’s youth wing, are seen as casualties of their perceived loyalty to Sonko.
This shift contrasts sharply with the early days of Faye’s presidency in 2024, when Sonko was given broad discretion to appoint party members to leadership positions across ministries and public enterprises. The appointment of Thierno Seydou Ly at Petrosen Holding is particularly notable, as it reverses a decision made by Sonko in March 2025 to remove Ly from Petrosen Exploration-Production, an action interpreted as an attempt to clear out officials appointed during the previous administration under Macky Sall.
Technical expertise takes precedence to reassure international partners
In the context of ongoing contract reviews in the extractive sector—initiated under the previous administration—President Faye appears to be prioritizing technocratic credentials over political affiliation. While the outgoing leaders, Alioune Gueye (a chartered accountant) and Ngagne Demba Touré (a lawyer), possessed solid professional backgrounds, their successors bring specialized technical expertise to their roles. Both new appointees have distinguished track records in their respective fields, with Ly’s experience at TotalEnergies and Touré’s background in geosciences and mining engineering.
The strategic objective is clear: to restore confidence among foreign investors while maintaining ongoing negotiations. Insiders note that the new leadership team is not only highly competent but also adopts a more diplomatic and less polarizing approach in their dealings with international partners.
Observers are now speculating about potential next targets for this presidential overhaul. Given their close ties to Ousmane Sonko, Waly Diouf Bodiang, Managing Director of the Autonomous Port of Dakar, and Fadilou Keïta, head of the National Deposits and Consignments Fund (CDC), may be among those facing leadership changes in the near future.
