Senegal public sector reform advocacy

Lansana Gagny Sakho, president of the Cercle des Administrateurs Publics, has called for significant structural reforms within Senegal’s public and parapublic sectors to combat economic stagnation and operational inefficiencies.

Initially, Sakho focused on the Caisse des Dépôts et Consignations (CDC), arguing that the institution requires a reformer to address flaws in governance, doctrine, and institutional positioning. He criticized the proliferation of subsidiaries that lack a cohesive strategy and questioned their actual value to the national economy.

Expanding his critique to the broader public sector, Sakho highlighted issues within the energy sector, specifically noting that electricity costs in Senegal are “28% to 40% higher than in Côte d’Ivoire” and that power outages continue. He argued that the planned 2026 reorganization of SENELEC into subsidiaries is insufficient because it lacks the performance pressure of private partnerships. Additionally, Sakho urged the government to fill approximately 160 vacant leadership positions in the parapublic sector with competent executives who can be evaluated based on results.