By: Kanto
Kai Okanta
Senegal has signed a
memorandum of understanding with the World Investment and Business Council for
Africa and Blue Cloud Softech Solutions to support the country's transition
from a technology-consuming economy to one focused on local digital production.
The agreement was signed by
the Minister of Telecommunications and Digital Affairs, Samba DIOUF, as part of
the implementation of the country's New Deal Technologique strategy.
The initiative forms part of
Program 8 of the New Deal Technologique, known as “Senegal Digital Factory:
From Idea to Product,” and is aligned with the Senegal 2050 National Agenda for
Transformation, which aims to build a sovereign, productive and competitive
nation.
At the centre of the
agreement is a digital equipment assembly complex planned for Diamniadio, with
operations scheduled to begin in December 2026.
The facility is expected to
manufacture computers, smartphones and tablets, while also supporting
technology transfer and training for young Senegalese.
According to the Ministry of
Telecommunications and Digital Affairs, the project is intended to help move
Senegal away from a model based primarily on technological consumption and
towards local production, creating greater domestic value and supporting industrialisation.
The initiative is being
positioned as a practical component of the government's broader drive for
digital sovereignty and economic transformation under the Senegal 2050 agenda.
The planned assembly complex
is expected to combine industrial production with skills development, with the
training of young people forming a key part of the initiative.
The government says the
approach directly responds to the objectives of the Senegal 2050 Agenda,
particularly the need to accelerate industrialisation, strengthen local
production capacity and create added value within the Senegalese economy.
