Senegal's digital transformation is driven by innovation and entrepreneurship. By supporting digital projects and offering targeted training programs, the country aims to promote inclusion, boost economic growth, and address social challenges.

In Senegal, the General Delegation for Rapid Entrepreneurship for Women and Young People (DER/FJ) plans to enhance its support for innovation and digitization in 2025 by investing 11.3 billion CFA francs ($18.08 million) in various projects. These funds will be allocated to several initiatives, including financing 15,000 micro-enterprises and facilitating the formalization of 10,000 businesses. The initiative was announced on Wednesday, January 15th, during a ceremony to present the results of the call for empowerment projects launched between September 24th and October 11th, 2024.

With an initial budget of 5 billion CFA francs, DER/FJ successfully financed 9,000 projects in 2024, amounting to a total investment of 5.6 billion CFA francs. Notably, many of these initiatives targeted the digital sector through programs like Lionstech (allocating €1 million to accelerate start-ups) and D4D (mobilizing €350,000 to support 100% digital projects). Start-ups such as Paps (logistics), Kalispot (fintech), and Sotilma (agritech) were among the primary beneficiaries of these programs.

These efforts align with the "New Technological Deal," a Senegalese government initiative aimed at establishing the country as a regional leader in innovation. This strategy emphasizes strategic investments in innovative start-ups and SMEs, which are critical drivers of digital transformation and economic growth.

For 2025, DER/FJ plans a series of initiatives to build upon the success of the previous campaign. In addition to startup financing, DER/FJ intends to significantly enhance the capacities of 10,000 beneficiaries through targeted training programs. These programs will equip them with the essential skills and knowledge they need to thrive in today's rapidly evolving entrepreneurial landscape.

 By Samira Njoya,

Editing by Sèna D. B. de Sodji