Senegal hosts digital investment forum to position itself as Africa’s next tech hub

Senegal is set to host the Forum Invest in Senegal 2025 (Fii Senegal 2025) on October 7–8, at the CICAD Conference Centre in Diamniadio, as the country seeks to cement its role as West Africa’s digital gateway.

The event, which will convene global leaders, investors, and innovators, comes on the heels of Senegal’s newly launched digital strategy, the “New Deal Technologique,” and a landmark US$10 million partnership signed with the Gates Foundation to accelerate digital transformation.

A major highlight of the forum will be a high-level panel on “ICT and Artificial Intelligence”, featuring Senegal’s Minister of Communication, Telecommunications and the Digital Economy, Alioune Sall; Annabelle Albert-Fonteneau, Head of Acceleration Programmes at the Luxembourg House of Financial Technology; Tidjane Deme, General Partner at Partech; and keynote speaker Aicha Sarr Evans, CEO of ZOOX. The session, moderated by Eva Sow Ebion of i4Policy, will explore AI adoption, digital innovation, and strategies for building resilient ecosystems across Africa.

The discussions take place against a backdrop of sweeping reforms in Senegal’s investment environment. The country’s updated Investment Code now guarantees business approval decisions within 10 days, while the APIX Business Creation Office allows company incorporation in under 48 hours. Customs and trade operations have also been digitised through the ORBUS and Port Community System, and the Startup Act is providing strong backing for tech entrepreneurs.

According to Bakary Séga Bathily, Director General of APIX, the reforms reflect Senegal’s determination to emerge as a sovereign and forward-looking digital hub. “Senegal is showcasing itself as a sovereign, forward-looking digital hub where reforms, innovation, and opportunity converge. Fii Senegal 2025 will prove to investors that this is the time and place to shape Africa’s digital future,” he said.

Held under the patronage of President Bassirou Diomaye Faye, the forum’s theme “Connecting Opportunities, Building the Future” underscores the government’s ambition to position Senegal as a key investment destination for infrastructure, digital services, data centres, and smart projects.