Senegal is set to provide free internet connectivity to one million citizens through the deployment of satellite antennas, as part of an ambitious government programme to achieve national coverage across remote regions by the end of 2026.
Speaking on the sidelines of a National Assembly plenary session dedicated to reviewing his department’s budget draft for the 2026 fiscal year, the Minister of Communication, Telecommunications, and Digital Economy announced that the deployment of satellite antennas will commence before year’s end.
The project will prioritise border areas, health posts, isolated administrative buildings, and schools requiring specific support. According to Minister, Mr Alioune Sall, the programme will employ a technological mix designed to reach even the most remote localities across the country.
“Through new technologies, the State of Senegal must be closer to the populations,” the minister stated, emphasising that the policy should contribute to the development of the digital economy and accelerate the digitalisation of public services.
According to DataReportal, there were 11.3 million individuals using the internet in Senegal at the start of 2025, representing an online penetration rate of 60.6 %. Thus, this effort aligns with Senegal’s New Deal Technologique (NDT) Horizon 2034 and the broader Vision Sénégal 2050, ambitious frameworks that envision comprehensive digitalisation of public services. These plans include creating interoperable e-government platforms, and ensuring 95 % of administrative procedures can be handled online through simple, citizen-friendly portals.
The third pillar of the strategy focuses on growing the digital economy, with support for start-ups and near-universal connectivity, and digital integration across vital sectors including health, education, agriculture, commerce, and transport.
