Senegal probes ASER-AEE Power contract fraud and embezzlement

The financial prosecutor's office of Senegal's Pool judiciaire financier confirmed that investigations continue into the rural electrification contract between the Senegalese Rural Electrification Agency (ASER) and Spain‑based AEE Power EPC. The probe began after the Dakar research section was seized on 24 Oct 2025 and follows a series of complaints: a September 2024 civil complaint by AEE Power’s parent company, a January 2025 state complaint over a falsified receipt of 918 339 800 FCFA, and an October 2025 allegation by MP Thierno Alassane Sall of fraud and misappropriation. A prosecutor quoted that “les investigations se poursuivent avec diligence afin de faire la lumière sur les faits”.

Prosecutors have merged the parallel cases, treating them as a single criminal instruction that targets systemic financial offences. The inquiry focuses on three axes: diversion of public funds amounting to several tens of billions of CFA, falsification of administrative documents, and large‑scale tax irregularities. An internal audit revealed a major breach, showing 37 billion FCFA disbursed irregularly. The director‑general of ASER, Jean‑Michel Sène, has held a press conference, while civil‑society groups have called for full transparency.