The new president Bassirou Diomaye Faye, inaugurated at the beginning of April after his victory in the first round at the end of March against the government candidate and Prime Minister Amadou Bâ, had promised during the campaign to fight against the high cost of living in the West African country, which imports most of its consumption.
These measures were widely expected by the population, regularly cited as being a priority by the media and in discussions on social networks.
With these measures, the price of a kilo of broken rice, the variety most consumed by households, has fallen by 40 FCFA (0.061 euros), that of a liter of imported refined oil by 100 FCFA (0.15 euros). Prices also reduced for a kilo of crystallized sugar by 50 FCFA (0.016 euros) and for a baguette by 15 FCFA (0.023 euros).
These price reductions, which also concern cement and fertilizer, will come into force in the coming days, Secretary General of the Government Ahmadou Al Aminou Lô said at a press conference, without setting a precise date.
Food expenses represent “50%” of the household basket (the household budget) in Senegal, said Mr. Lô. He announced a strengthening of controls on traders to enforce the new prices.
The new regime has, according to him, “inherited a particularly stressed public finance situation” with the departure of President Macky Sall (2012-2024), who did not run again after two terms.
Poverty affects at least one in three Senegalese, with unemployment officially around 20%, persistent inequalities and high inflation.
Vulnerable to external shocks due to structural weaknesses, Senegal has been hard hit by the Covid-19 pandemic and the fallout from the war in Ukraine.
To lower prices, the government is waiving the collection of “taxes and customs duties” owed by importers, explained the minister responsible for the budget Cheikh Diba.
The announcement of these reductions comes as Senegal has just entered the circle of oil producing countries, with the announcement on Tuesday by the Australian company Woodside Energy of the start of oil extraction on the Sangomar field off the coast of African coasts.
