Senegalese president Bassirou Diomaye Faye announced on Wednesday an increase in public investments for 2026, with a focus on education, health and access to water among other areas.
The head of state made promises in his traditional address to the nation delivered on New Year’s Eve.
Education, health and water
He said the country would dedicate 62.8 billion CFA francs to the construction of new educational infrastructure, including 2,500 classrooms.
The health sector will receive a 91 billion CFA francs boost “allocated to the construction of 35 high-standard community health centers, the completion of the Diamniadio Oncology Hospital, and the strengthening of medical facilities nationwide.”
The Senegalese leader also cited access to water as “a strategic priority” for 2026, with the launch of the Grand Water Transfer Project. The initiative should “make it possible to mobilise 1.8 million cubic meters of water per day to sustainably meet the drinking water needs of the Dakar–Mbour–Thiès urban corridor and Touba.”
2025, a year of “rigor and resilience”
Bassirou Diomaye Faye also looked back on 2025, a year he described as “demanding” and marked by “rigor and resilience.”
He still celebrated achievement and praised progress regarding the cost of living in the country.
“Concrete progress has been made, state continuity has been ensured, public services strengthened, and support provided to vulnerable sectors,” he said in his speech. “Measures to reduce the prices of several essential products generated savings of 342.5 billion francs for households in 2025, and this effort will continue in 2026.”
The Senegalese president also acknowledged results in agriculture and industry.
“Cereal production exceeded 2.5 million tonnes, while the groundnut sector regained strong momentum,” he listed.
“The industrial sector also regained impetus with the relaunch of [Senegal’s leading agri-food company] SONACOS after two years of shutdown, recreating more than 2,300 direct jobs,” he added.
Source: Africanews
