Government launches urgent intervention plan for 245 stranded projects worth billions
Prime Minister Ousmane Sonko convened a high-level interministerial council on infrastructure this week at the Presidential Administrative Building in Dakar. The meeting followed a comprehensive audit that revealed 245 public infrastructure projects and assets trapped in financial, legal, technical or operational bottlenecks, representing investments exceeding several trillion CFA francs.
Critical infrastructure inventory uncovered
The government’s assessment identified three major categories of stalled assets:
- 30 completed but inactive projects, including 25 currently frozen, with an estimated 279 billion CFA francs in frozen investments. Fifteen of these have been designated high-priority due to their economic and strategic significance.
- 23 revenue-generating assets identified for potential restructuring or monetization, valued at approximately 1,065 billion CFA francs.
- 94 ongoing projects, of which 62 are halted, totaling 5,227 billion CFA francs in committed funds. An additional 973 billion CFA francs will be required to complete these initiatives.
The audit also examined the state’s real estate and land holdings, identifying 97 properties—primarily in Dakar—with an estimated market value of 132 billion CFA francs.
Immediate action plan announced
In response to these findings, Prime Minister Sonko ordered the swift establishment of a dedicated task force to accelerate the deployment, completion and monetization of these assets. The committee, to be led by the Secretary-General of the Government, will meet weekly and deliver a comprehensive operational roadmap by June 30, 2026.
The task force’s mandate includes:
- Proposing solutions to unblock stalled construction projects
- Designing sustainable management and operational models
- Developing strategies to recycle and maximize the value of public assets
Root causes and targeted interventions
The diagnostic highlighted financial constraints as the primary barrier, with 42 projects suffering from funding gaps, delayed payments or insufficient investment allocations. Other obstacles include technical hurdles, legal disputes and the absence of viable exploitation frameworks.
Prime Minister Sonko emphasized the paradoxical inefficiency of completed yet unused infrastructure, often due to coordination failures, incomplete handover procedures or misalignment with actual community needs.
Key projects prioritized for intervention include:
- Port and maritime infrastructure in Foundiougne, Soumbédioune and Ndangane
- Youth and Citizenship Centers across multiple regions
- Naatangué ANIDA village farms and agropoles in Mpal, Adéane, Dioulacoulon and Mbellacadiao
- Major stalled initiatives, such as the Sine-Saloum University, 45 Digital Open Spaces (ENO), regional airports in Saint-Louis, Matam and Kolda, the Ndayane container terminal, the Le Joola Memorial and the Aristide Le Dantec hospital
The government is also exploring public-private partnerships to optimize the utilization of assets including national stadiums, parks, nature reserves, state-owned properties and diplomatic representations abroad.
Strategic vision for public investment efficiency
Through this sweeping audit and rationalization initiative, the government aims to enhance the productivity of public expenditure, reduce dormant assets and improve the financial returns on state-funded infrastructure investments.
