Senegal's National Assembly green-lit an 81-billion-franc budget for the Communications Ministry's 2026 plan, and almost 60 percent goes toward tech infrastructure. President Bassirou Diomaye Faye and Prime Minister Ousmane Sonko want the country to run as a digital hub by 2034, with plans to kill connectivity zones and give a million broke people free internet access.
The government is setting up a new regulator for media and online platforms while going after hate speech and fake news. Officials also want big tech companies to pay their fair share for ads since platforms like Google and Facebook are pulling in massive global revenue. The postal service is getting a complete overhaul after years of being run into the ground, with 1,500 workers getting buyouts and the whole operation shifting toward e-commerce logistics.
Digital economy contributions should hit 15 percent of GDP in a decade, backed by a 200-billion-franc startup fund and infrastructure projects. The ministry says media outlets and tech companies need to follow local laws while the government pumps cash into cloud systems, biometric IDs, and paperless administration.
The government is setting up a new regulator for media and online platforms while going after hate speech and fake news. Officials also want big tech companies to pay their fair share for ads since platforms like Google and Facebook are pulling in massive global revenue. The postal service is getting a complete overhaul after years of being run into the ground, with 1,500 workers getting buyouts and the whole operation shifting toward e-commerce logistics.
Digital economy contributions should hit 15 percent of GDP in a decade, backed by a 200-billion-franc startup fund and infrastructure projects. The ministry says media outlets and tech companies need to follow local laws while the government pumps cash into cloud systems, biometric IDs, and paperless administration.
