Senegal’s digital transformation is based on innovation and entrepreneurship. By supporting digital projects and offering targeted training, the country seeks to promote inclusion, stimulate economic growth and respond to social challenges.
The General Delegation for Rapid Entrepreneurship of Women and Youth (DER/FJ) of Senegal intends to strengthen its support for innovation and digitalization by investing 11.3 billion FCFA ($18.08 million) in projects in 2025. These funds will be allocated to several initiatives, including the financing of 15,000 micro-enterprises and the formalization of 10,000 structures. This announcement was made on Wednesday January 15 during a ceremony to present the results of the call for projects on empowerment, launched between September 24 and October 11, 2024.
With a launch budget of 5 billion FCFA, the DER/FJ financed 9,000 projects in 2024 for a total amount of 5.6 billion FCFA. Among these initiatives, several have targeted the digital sector thanks to programs such as Lionstech (1 million euros of funding dedicated to accelerating start-ups) and D4D (350,000 euros mobilized to support 100% digital projects). Start-ups like Paps, specializing in logistics, Kalispot in fintech, or Sotilma in agritech, are among the major beneficiaries of these initiatives.
These efforts are part of the ambitious vision of the “Technological New Deal”, an initiative by the Senegalese government aimed at positioning the country as a regional leader in innovation. This strategy focuses, among other things, on investments in innovative start-ups and SMEs, essential drivers for digital transformation and economic growth.
For 2025, the DER/FJ plans a series of initiatives aimed at amplifying the results of the previous campaign. In addition to financing start-ups, the DER/FJ intends to strengthen the capacities of 10,000 beneficiaries through targeted training, in order to equip them with the skills necessary to succeed in a rapidly changing entrepreneurial environment.
-Samira Njoya
Published by Sèna DB de Sodji
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