Senegal targets fresh foreign capital with Invest Forum 2025

Senegal is stepping up efforts to attract foreign direct investment (FDI) as it hosts the Forum Invest in Senegal 2025 (Fii Senegal 2025), which opens on Tuesday in Diamniadio.

The government hopes the high-level gathering will accelerate the inflow of capital into priority sectors, with authorities projecting 8.4% economic growth in 2025, fuelled by the country’s first natural gas exports.

“Senegal is positioning itself as a crossroads between Africa and the rest of the world, a gateway for attracting capital, technology, and expertise,” said Bakary Séga Bathily, Director General of APIX, the state agency for investment promotion and major infrastructure projects.

Held under the patronage of President Bassirou Diomaye Diakhar Faye, the forum is themed “Connecting opportunities, building the future” and will showcase a portfolio of large-scale projects in three key sectors:

Energy: Development of the Yakaar-Teranga gas fields alongside solar and wind projects, aimed at making Senegal a regional energy hub and competitive electricity provider.

Infrastructure: Projects such as the $1.2 billion Ndayane Port, the Dakar-Bamako transport corridor, and new water supply systems to strengthen logistics and secure essential resources.

Digital: Expansion of a sovereign cloud, a national data center, and support for fintech, AI, and cybersecurity startups to diversify the economy beyond traditional industries.

Authorities are banking on the country’s reputation for political stability, its strategic access to 400 million consumers across ECOWAS, and recent regulatory reforms, including a new Investment Code, Startup Act, and stronger public-private partnership framework, to boost investor confidence.

“Fii Senegal 2025 is more than a forum – it’s a signal to global markets. Senegal seeks to position itself as a key player in Africa’s transformation, guided by transparency, innovation, and sustainability,” Bathily added.

According to official figures, Senegal drew nearly $3 billion in FDI in 2024, mostly into energy and infrastructure. With the 2025 forum, the government hopes to convert more investment pledges into bankable projects.