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Invest in Senegal
A short guide for companies expanding into Senegal: the economy at a glance, the rules and steps to set up, and who can help, each with its source.
1. Senegal at a glance
Population
18.9 million
Population was 18,931,966 people in 2025.
Source: World Bank WDI, Senegal population, 2025 (opens in a new tab) · as of 2025
GDP
US$37 billion
GDP was US$37.0 billion in 2025, in current United States dollars.
Source: World Bank WDI, Senegal GDP, 2025 (opens in a new tab) · as of 2025
GDP per person
US$1,955
GDP per person was US$1,955 in 2025, in current United States dollars.
Source: World Bank WDI, Senegal GDP per person, 2025 (opens in a new tab) · as of 2025
Real GDP growth
6.7%
Real GDP growth was 6.7 percent in 2025.
Source: World Bank WDI, Senegal real GDP growth, 2025 (opens in a new tab) · as of 2025
Inflation
1.0%
Consumer prices rose 1.0 percent over twelve months to September 2026, on the national statistics agency's year-on-year measure.
Source: ANSD, consumer price index note, September 2026 (in French) (opens in a new tab) · as of September 2026
Foreign direct investment inflows
US$36.6 million
Foreign direct investment net inflows were US$36.58 million in 2025, in the UNCTAD data.
Source: UNCTADstat, Senegal foreign direct investment inflows, 2025 (opens in a new tab) · as of 2025
The currency is the CFA franc (XOF), shared by the member states of the West African Economic and Monetary Union.
Source: BCEAO, home page, read October 31, 2026 (in French) (opens in a new tab) · as of October 31, 2026
2. Before you set up
The investment agency, any one-stop route, the sectors reserved for nationals and the zones, as the guide found them.
The investment promotion agency is APIX-S.A., which describes itself as Senegal's one-stop shop for investors.
Source: APIX-S.A., home page, read October 31, 2026 (in French) (opens in a new tab) · as of October 31, 2026
APIX runs an incentive-regime desk and a business creation office where five administrations are represented.
Source: APIX-S.A., business creation office page (in French) (opens in a new tab) · as of October 31, 2026
No list of sectors reserved for nationals is published; Article 6 lets the State exclude investors from sectors judged strategic in exceptional circumstances.
Source: Senegal, Investment Code law, September 27, 2025 (in French) (opens in a new tab) · as of September 27, 2025
As of February 2026, the Ministry of Economy counts seven special economic zones in Senegal, four of them functional.
Source: Economy ministry, private sector strategy, February 2026 (in French) (opens in a new tab) · as of October 31, 2026
3. Steps to set up
The main steps, in order, each with the body responsible and its official page.
Setting up in Senegal
- Register your company at the APIX business creation office, which issues the trade register extract and tax identifier.APIX-S.A.48 hours, according to APIXOfficial page (opens in a new tab)
Source: APIX-S.A., business creation office page (in French) (opens in a new tab) · as of October 31, 2026
- Request the NINEA from the tax directorate, or through APIX, which sends the request for you.Direction Générale des Impôts et des DomainesAbout three days; 2,000 CFA franc stampOfficial page (opens in a new tab)
Source: Tax directorate, NINEA procedure sheet (in French) (opens in a new tab) · as of October 31, 2026
- Register an investment of 15 million CFA francs or more with APIX, and request approval under the Investment Code.APIX-S.A.Answer within ten working days of filingOfficial page (opens in a new tab)
Source: Senegal, Investment Code law, September 27, 2025 (in French) (opens in a new tab) · as of September 27, 2025
- Ask APIX for help with land access; it can assist with acquisition or allocation of state land.APIX-S.A.Official page (opens in a new tab)
Source: Senegal, Investment Code law, September 27, 2025 (in French) (opens in a new tab) · as of September 27, 2025
Show 4 more set-up steps
- Ask APIX to help with entry and residence visas for you and your staff.APIX-S.A.Official page (opens in a new tab)
Source: Senegal, Investment Code law, September 27, 2025 (in French) (opens in a new tab) · as of September 27, 2025
- Have each foreign employee's written contract endorsed by the labor directorate before work starts.Direction Générale du Travail et de la Sécurité socialeAnswer within seven clear days; silence counts as approvalOfficial page (opens in a new tab)
Source: Labor Code, Law 2026-18, Journal officiel copy (in French) (opens in a new tab) · as of September 17, 2026
- Arrange payments and transfers through an authorized bank; the Code guarantees free transfer of income under the union's exchange rules.Banque Centrale des États de l'Afrique de l'OuestOfficial page (opens in a new tab)
Source: Senegal, Investment Code law, September 27, 2025 (in French) (opens in a new tab) · as of September 27, 2025
- File and pay your taxes on the SENTAX platform, which large companies must use from September 1, 2026.Direction Générale des Impôts et des DomainesOfficial page (opens in a new tab)
Source: Tax directorate, home page, read October 31, 2026 (in French) (opens in a new tab) · as of October 31, 2026
4. Organizations that help investors
Start with APIX and DGD. Each card links to the organization’s own site.
Each card says what it can help with:Get adviceFind financeMeet requirementsResearch markets
Investment and business setup
- Get advice
Investment promotion agency
APIX
Agence Nationale chargée de la Promotion de l'Investissement et des Grands Travaux
Runs the investor one-stop desk and the business creation office, and helps with land access and incentive regimes.
Visit APIX (opens in a new tab)Source: APIX-S.A., one-stop desk page (in French) (opens in a new tab) · as of October 31, 2026
Economy and planning ministry
MEPC
Ministère de l'Économie, du Plan et de la Coopération
Publishes the national private sector and investment strategy and economic planning documents.
Visit MEPC (opens in a new tab)Source: Economy ministry, private sector strategy, February 2026 (in French) (opens in a new tab) · as of October 31, 2026
Customs and tax
- Meet requirements
Customs authority
DGD
Direction Générale des Douanes
Runs customs clearance and publishes the customs code and its preferential regime pages.
Visit DGD (opens in a new tab)Source: Customs, preferential regime page (in French) (opens in a new tab) · as of October 31, 2026
- Meet requirements
Tax and land authority
DGID
Direction Générale des Impôts et des Domaines
Issues the NINEA on request, runs the SENTAX filing platform and publishes tax laws and rates.
Visit DGID (opens in a new tab)Source: Tax directorate, NINEA procedure sheet (in French) (opens in a new tab) · as of October 31, 2026
Show 1 more organization
- Meet requirements
Regional central bank
BCEAO
Banque Centrale des États de l'Afrique de l'Ouest
Regional body
Issues the shared CFA franc and sets the export domiciliation and repatriation rules through its instructions.
Chambers and industry associations
- Get advice
Chamber of commerce
CCIAD
Chambre de Commerce, d'Industrie et d'Agriculture de Dakar
Takes trader and import-export card applications, sells certificate-of-origin booklets and organizes business forums.
5. Worth knowing
Public debt and arrears
Senegal and the IMF reached a staff-level agreement for a US$2.2 billion, three-year program, and the government launched a debt treatment strategy.
What to do: Check payment terms with public buyers and banks, and follow the program's approval by the IMF board.
Source: Prime Minister’s office, note on IMF staff-level agreement (in French) (opens in a new tab) · as of September 1, 2026
Customs code reform
Customs held a consultation in August 2026 on a draft reform of the 2014 Customs Code, which stays in force until a new text replaces it.
What to do: Check with customs for new rules before you sign long supply contracts.
Source: Customs, customs code reform news, August 12, 2026 (in French) (opens in a new tab) · as of August 12, 2026
Investment Code transition
Law 2025-16 replaced the 2004 Investment Code; approvals granted under the old Code run to their term, and APIX's one-stop page still cites the 2004 law.
What to do: File new approval requests under the 2025 Code, and ask APIX how its application decree of March 2026 affects your file.
Sources: APS, Council of Ministers communiqué, March 11, 2026 (in French) (opens in a new tab); APIX-S.A., one-stop desk page (in French) (opens in a new tab) · as of March 11, 2026
Code scope and exclusions
The Code excludes resale of goods, mining and petroleum, financial and regulated telecom activities, and Article 6 lets the State exclude investors from strategic sectors.
What to do: Ask APIX which sector law governs your activity before you commit capital.
Source: Senegal, Investment Code law, September 27, 2025 (in French) (opens in a new tab) · as of September 27, 2025
Show 2 more
Electricity
The Ministry of Economy says electricity costs in Senegal are among the highest in the West African Economic and Monetary Union.
What to do: Price power costs into your project and ask APIX about power options in the zones.
Source: Economy ministry, private sector strategy, February 2026 (in French) (opens in a new tab) · as of 2026-02
Special economic zones
The Ministry of Economy counts seven special economic zones, four functional, with 43 companies installed and weak infrastructure among the stated limits.
What to do: Visit the site and ask APIX which services the zone provides today before you sign a lease.
Source: Economy ministry, private sector strategy, February 2026 (in French) (opens in a new tab) · as of 2026-02
6. How Promote:Global helps
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Promote:Senegal is an independent guide by Promote:Global, not an official government portal. The organizations named here are independent public and membership bodies, not Promote:Global partners, and every link goes to their own site.
Facts read from public sources, with an editorial cut-off of October 31, 2026. Nothing here is investment, legal, tax or sanctions advice. Check current status with the organization before you rely on it.