Senegal Ministry of Higher Education blacklists 34 private institutions

higher education unrecognized institutions private colleges academic accreditation Senegal education

Senegal’s Ministry of Higher Education, Research and Innovation has released its first “black list” of 34 private educational institutions and branches that are not authorized to provide training from the Bachelor to the Doctorate level.

The list, finalized as of October 1, 2026, aims to protect students from unrecognized programs and regulate the private education sector. For Bachelor and Master cycles, targeted institutions include Sup-Management Intelligentsia (SMI) and Ziguinchor Institute of Technology (ZIP) in Ziguinchor, ESAG in Saint-Louis, and several Dakar-based entities such as IMAS, ESLOT, and IPAMEP. Additionally, numerous branches of the Higher Institute of Entrepreneurship and Management (ISEG) across various regions, including Thiès, Tambacounda, and Kaolack, were declared unrecognized.

At the doctoral level, the ministry identified two strategic studies entities in Dakar: the Center for Diplomatic and Strategic Studies (CEDS) in Ouakam and the African Center for Strategic Intelligence (CIS-Paix Upeace). Professor Mamadou Sidibé, Director General of Higher Education, has urged the public to exercise extreme vigilance and verify the validity of accreditations and official approvals before enrolling in any institution.