New Year in Senegal: inflation is no gift

In the busy aisles of the Dakar Central Market, Fanta Gueye, seller, seems sure of her business, “we offer a wide range of gifts for Christmas and the end of the year. Whether you are looking for firecrackers, toys, children’s cars, or even items that meet the needs and desires of toddlers, you will find everything with us“, she assures with enthusiasm.

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For Daouda Diop, seller and father, the holiday period remains a special time, “every year, we are there to bring happiness to children. We are happy to note that many parents make the trip to spoil their children. Here, they offer electric vehicles for budding little pilots, educational games to stimulate their creativity or even dolls and accessories for young dreamers.», he testifies with pride.

However, everyone agrees that this year, the excitement is not as marked as in the past. Fanta Gueye observes with regret a worrying trend. “Unfortunately, we face a difficult reality: life has become more expensive, and family budgets are often tight. Many parents can no longer spend the way they used to. This is felt in the holiday atmosphere, where the excitement and rush of yesteryear seem less present“, she laments.

Over the past three years, the purchasing power of Senegalese households has been reduced by an unprecedented surge in the prices of consumer products. According to the National Agency for Statistics and Demography, the inflation rate was 38.9% for rice and 62.2% for millet as well as for other foodstuffs which constitute more than 50 % of expenses. So much so that in 2022, Dakar was classified “most expensive city in West Africa» by the Mercer firm.

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In response, the government announced last summer the first measures intended to combat the high cost of living and committed to lowering the price of sugar from 650 CFA francs to 600 CFA francs.crice will be reduced by 40 francs. The liter of oil will decrease by 100 CFA francs and that of flour by 20% since then.

As we get closer to December 31, traders remain optimistic and are banking on the last days to rediscover the festive atmosphere that lights up this period so dear to the hearts of children and parents.