Senegal has announced a plan to close 19 government agencies which account for around 1,000 jobs, with officials in the debt-burdened country expecting the move to save at least 55 billion CFA francs ($97.95 million) over the next three years, a statement said, Reuters reported.
The West African country is grappling with debts that reached 132% of gross domestic product at the end of 2024, according to the International Monetary Fund, which froze its lending programme after the discovery of misreported debt.
The statement released after the weekly Council of Ministers meeting on March 4 said the government would also focus on strengthening controls and evaluations, harmonising pay scales and ensuring optimal use of budgetary funds.
The 19 entities employed 982 people and had a combined budget allocation of 28.051 billion CFA francs ($49.96 million) in 2025, according to the statement, which did not identify the affected agencies.
Their annual payroll is estimated at 9.227 billion CFA francs and their total debt stood at 2.6 billion CFA francs at the end of 2024, the statement said.
Prime Minister Ousmane Sonko has dismissed the idea of a restructuring plan despite Senegal's difficult repayment schedule. Senegal has been relying on the regional debt market to meet its financing needs.
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