OFOR launches 10 billion CFA franc program to rehabilitate Senegal boreholes

The Office des forages ruraux (OFOR) has announced an emergency program of 10 billion CFA francs to rehabilitate 60 priority boreholes in Senegal. This initiative addresses the aging of rural hydraulic infrastructure, with OFOR Director Serigne Mbacké Dieng noting that one-third of existing boreholes have exceeded their intended lifespan.

This emergency funding complements a larger 53 billion CFA franc rural water supply project. That phase 2 project aims to establish 100 new boreholes, approximately 100 water towers, and 1,450 kilometers of distribution networks. Additionally, a 9 billion CFA franc program funded by the African Development Bank is targeting the Southeast region, intending to provide 180 new or rehabilitated boreholes and 12 water purification units by the end of 2027.

OFOR reports that professionalizing operations has helped maintain a service availability rate of over 96%. To improve oversight, monitoring committees involving local authorities and administrative actors have been established. The government also plans to transition from measuring the “improved access rate” to a “secure access rate,” a new metric that will account for service continuity and quality.