SENEGAL · BUDGET
Key Facts
- —The country Senegal is a West African democracy of about 18 million people, a new oil and gas producer, and uses the CFA franc, a currency pegged to the euro.
- —What happened On Sunday 25 October 2026, Pastef lawmaker Amadou Ba said 15 projects would have been removed from the draft amended 2026 budget, known as the LFR.
- —Named projects He named a large water transfer to the holy city of Touba, 35 health centres, a 30,000-home housing programme and the clearing of temporary shelters.
- —The money The Touba water line was to get FCFA 50 billion (about US$85 million) this year, which he said was meant to come from a recovery plan that fell short.
- —Why it matters The same bill is tied to a US$2.2 billion IMF programme that still needs board approval, and foreign bondholders are watching the vote.
- —Still open The full list of 15 projects, the exact plenary vote date and the government’s reply to the claim are not known.
Senegal budget cuts would remove 15 projects from this year’s amended budget, including water for Touba, a ruling-party lawmaker said. Amadou Ba made the claim at a press conference on Sunday 25 October 2026, the Dakar news site Seneweb reported late that night.
For US readers, the same bill decides whether Senegal can count on a US$2.2 billion programme from the International Monetary Fund, the IMF. Foreign investors who hold Senegal’s dollar bonds are watching to see whether the country’s two power centres can agree on a budget.
What the Pastef Lawmaker Said
Amadou Ba spoke for Pastef, the governing party led by Ousmane Sonko, at a press conference of its lawmakers on Sunday. He said 15 projects would have been removed from the amended budget, and he named four of them, Seneweb reported.
The four are the large water transfer to Touba, the construction of health centres, the 30,000-home housing programme and the clearing of temporary shelters. Seneweb did not publish the full list, so the other 11 projects are unnamed.
Water for Touba and 35 Health Centres
Touba is Senegal’s holy city and the headquarters of the Mouride Brotherhood, one of the country’s most influential Muslim orders. Ba said Sonko, then prime minister, set aside FCFA 50 billion (about US$85 million) in payment credits for the water transfer.
He added that the money was to come from the Economic and Social Recovery Plan, called PRES, so the work needed no new borrowing. He also denounced the removal of funds for 35 health centres, the housing programme and the shelter clearance.
Why the Recovery Plan Matters
The recovery plan, PRES, is the programme meant to raise state revenue so that investment needs no new loans. Prime Minister Ahmadou Al Aminou Lô has said it did not deliver the returns that were expected.
Ba argues that the funds for these projects were tied to what PRES was meant to raise. Seneweb reports the prime minister’s remark on the plan’s weak returns alongside Ba’s claim.
A Budget Caught Between Two Camps
The draft amended budget reached the National Assembly on Friday 18 September and sets the 2026 deficit at 7.6% of economic output. That is FCFA 1,735.2 billion (about US$3.0 billion), against 5.4% in the original budget, according to the APA news agency.
Sonko now presides over the Assembly, where Pastef leads the majority, while Lô leads the government under President Bassirou Diomaye Faye. Sonko said on Monday 19 October that his lawmakers would not vote for the bill as it stands.
Subsidies and the IMF Clock
Energy subsidies, which hold down fuel prices, would fall from FCFA 790 billion (about US$1.35 billion) to FCFA 552 billion (about US$943 million), Sonko said. That is a cut of about FCFA 238 billion (about US$407 million).
Senegal and IMF staff agreed on 1 September to a 36-month programme worth about US$2.2 billion, which still needs approval by the fund’s board. Public debt stands near 130% of economic output, so the Senegal budget cuts are being judged against the IMF programme.
Where the Vote Stands
The Assembly’s finance committee worked through Wednesday 21 October without what Pastef called a global and solid consensus with the government. It was due to resume on Thursday 22 October, while the full vote set for 23 October moved to next week at the government’s request.
Pastef said the finance ministry, led by Cheikh Diba, still had to send extra documents to the committee. Ba spoke days later, as Pastef lawmakers set out their objections to the Senegal budget cuts in public.
What It Means for US Readers
Holders of Senegal’s dollar bonds have already reacted once, as Senegal Bonds Fall on 19 Oct Budget Threat described. A deal that keeps the IMF programme on track would support prices, while a long standoff risks a late budget.
For US companies in Senegal, from energy to construction, the Senegal budget cuts show which public spending lines are under pressure. The wider debt story is laid out in Senegal Debt Crisis and IMF Talks Explained.
What Is Not Known
The names of the other 11 projects and the amounts removed for each are not public. Seneweb did not carry a government answer to the Senegal budget cuts claim.
No date beyond “next week” has been announced for the plenary vote, and it is open whether Pastef will push amendments that restore some projects. It is also open whether the IMF board will wait for the Assembly’s decision before it meets.
More: Senegal news in English, every day from The Rio Times.
Frequently Asked Questions
What did the Pastef lawmaker say about the Senegal budget cuts?
Amadou Ba said on Sunday 25 October that 15 projects would have been removed from the amended 2026 budget, the Senegal budget cuts he denounced. He named a water transfer to Touba, 35 health centres, a 30,000-home programme and the clearing of temporary shelters.
What is the LFR behind the Senegal budget cuts?
The LFR is the amended finance law, a mid-year revision of the 2026 budget. The government sent it to the National Assembly on 18 September after revenue fell short and subsidy costs rose.
Why do the Senegal budget cuts matter to the IMF?
Senegal reached a staff-level deal on 1 September for a 36-month programme worth about US$2.2 billion. The programme needs a credible budget, and the fund’s board still has to approve it.
Who is Ousmane Sonko?
Sonko leads the Pastef party and presides over the National Assembly after serving as prime minister. He has said his lawmakers will not back the amended budget in its current form.
When will parliament vote on the amended budget?
The vote in the full Assembly was planned for Friday 23 October and moved to the following week at the government’s request. No new date has been announced.
Sources: Seneweb, LFR 2026 : 15 projets supprimés, Amadou Ba dénonce des coupes budgétaires, 25 October 2026; Dakaractu, LFR 2026 : les coulisses d’une longue journée qui a débouché sur un report, 21 October 2026; APA news, Sénégal : la LFR 2026 porte le déficit à 7,6% du PIB, 21 September 2026; Afrique-Sur7, Ousmane Sonko, LFR 2026 et débat avec Aminou Lô, 19 October 2026.
This article was produced by The Rio Times’ automated newsroom system. How we use AI · Report an error · Editorial responsibility: Matthias Camenzind, Editor-in-Chief
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