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Senegalese Women in the Diaspora: Celebrating Leadership, Inspiring the Next Generation
Senegalese women are building careers, companies and communities far from the cities they grew up in. A forthcoming JokkoHub webinar from the Senegalese Network for Success brings those paths into one conversation, and asks what they mean for the generation watching.
Who Builds, Who Buys: Senegal and the New Economics of Artificial Intelligence
An in-depth investigation into Senegal's structural position in the global AI economy, the paradox of its world-class talent, the gap between announced ambition and deployed capacity, and whether the country can move from consuming the technologies of the future to helping create them.
Selly Raby Kane Is Building a Fashion Universe on Her Own Terms
By anchoring her brand in the vibrant, complex reality of Dakar, Selly Raby Kane has transformed the limitations of a local market into a global creative asset. Her journey reveals the blueprint for a new generation of African entrepreneurs.
Senegal Has Put Starlink on Hold. The Real Fight Is Over Who Connects the Country
Senegal's Supreme Court provisionally suspended Starlink's operating authorization on September 7, after a challenge by Sonatel, the incumbent that paid 134.5 billion CFA francs in license and spectrum fees. The ruling is not a revocation — but it puts a question the country can no longer avoid: who should pay to connect Senegal, and under what rules?
Senegal Is Restructuring Its Debt. What Does That Actually Mean?
Senegal has launched a plan to restructure part of its public debt. JokkoHub explains why, how the process works, the political debate surrounding it, and what it could mean for households, businesses and the diaspora.
Moustapha Cissé Could Have Stayed in Big Tech. He Chose to Build in Africa.
A Senegalese AI researcher who led Google's first Africa lab and founded the continent's first AI master's program is now building a health-insurance company in Dakar. His career asks a larger question about whether Africa can stop merely exporting talent and start compounding it at home.
Senegal Is Building a Space Future. The Opportunity Is Bigger Than Satellites
Senegal's growing space ambitions could create opportunities far beyond satellites, from agriculture and climate resilience to research, entrepreneurship and high-skilled jobs. The bigger question is whether the country can build an ecosystem around them.
Beyond Ride-Hailing: How Aïcha Niang Is Growing Yango’s Footprint in Senegal
Under Aïcha Niang's leadership, Yango has evolved from a ride-hailing challenger in Dakar to a comprehensive digital ecosystem encompassing food delivery and corporate mobility. Her tenure offers a masterclass in adapting global tech platforms to the realities of Senegalese urban infrastructure.
The 1% Shock: How Wave Rewrote the Rules of Mobile Money in Senegal
Wave didn't just build a popular app; it fundamentally re-engineered the unit economics of digital finance in West Africa. A deep dive into the price war, the regulatory battles, and the 23-million-user ecosystem that broke the telecom monopoly.
The Architect of Capital: How Tidjane Dème is Rewiring African Technology Investment
In 2016, Tidjane Dème pitched 360 investors to raise Partech's first Africa fund. Today, he co-leads a $300 million vehicle shaping the continent's digital future. A deep dive into the operator-turned-investor's journey and the evolving demands of African venture capital.
Senegal’s Housing Bank Wants the Diaspora to Build Homes, Not Just Send Cash
With remittances accounting for nearly 10% of Senegal's GDP, BHS is rolling out targeted financial products to shift expatriate capital from informal family support into productive infrastructure.
EBRD Enters Senegal With €270 Million Financing Package for Yas’s Digital Expansion
The European Bank for Reconstruction and Development has finalized its first-ever investment in Senegal, providing a €270 million loan facility to telecommunications operator Yas to close the digital divide and modernize mobile networks.
African Tech Funding Tops $1.3 Billion in H1 2026, But the 'Growth at All Costs' Era Is Over
African startups raised over $1.36 billion in the first half of 2026, maintaining resilient momentum despite a cautious investment climate. But behind the headline numbers, a structural shift is underway: investors are prioritizing sustainable unit economics over speculative growth, reshaping the landscape for local entrepreneurs.
The Road Ahead: How Senegal-Born Aïcha Evans is Steering Zoox Toward an Autonomous Future
Aïcha Evans has guided Zoox from an ambitious Silicon Valley startup to a $1.3 billion Amazon acquisition, and now, to a historic commercial launch. For JokkoHub News, we trace her journey from Dakar to Paris to the vanguard of autonomous transportation.
Senegal Bets on Drastic Fiscal Discipline in 2026-2028 Debt Strategy to Survive $13 Billion Hidden Debt Scandal
Cut off from cheap international capital after an audit revealed billions in hidden debt, Senegal has unveiled a stringent 2026-2028 debt management strategy. The plan aims to restore IMF confidence and stabilize public finances, but its heavy reliance on domestic borrowing poses new challenges for local businesses.
African EV Startup Spiro Secures $215 Million to Scale Battery-Swapping Network
Spiro, an African electric vehicle and battery-swapping company, has closed a $215 million equity financing round to expand its clean transport infrastructure across the continent — a milestone that has implications well beyond the mobility sector.
PAISD: The Program That Helps Senegalese Diaspora Fund Projects Back Home
For Senegalese residents in France, Belgium, Spain, and Italy, the PAISD program provides structured co-financing for local development projects ranging from food businesses to private schools. Here is what you need to know.
Senegal's DER/FJ Launches $50M Catalyst Fund to Bridge the Pre-Seed Startup Gap
The Senegalese government's DER/FJ has unveiled a $50 million Catalyst fund targeting pre-seed and seed-stage startups — a direct response to a structural gap in African startup financing where seed investment accounts for just 1.5% of total capital deployed on the continent.
Senegal Launches AI and Digital Training for 105,000 Teachers in $233M Education Push
Senegal's Ministry of National Education has launched a program to train 105,000 teachers and administrative staff in digital skills and artificial intelligence, backed by a 130 billion CFA franc budget and a five-year national strategy.
Senegal's New Recovery Plan Targets Diaspora Pain Points: Easier Land Titles and Relaxed Vehicle Import Rules
Prime Minister Ousmane Sonko unveiled a new economic recovery plan on August 1, 2025, that includes two measures the diaspora community has long pushed for: simplified land title acquisition and a higher age limit on imported vehicles.
Senegal Secures €10 Million from EU and AFD to Study Dakar-Thiès TER Extension
Senegal has signed a €10 million agreement with the French Development Agency and the European Union to fund feasibility and design studies for extending the Dakar Regional Express Train to Thiès — a key step before any construction begins.
New Diaspora Initiatives Launched for Expertise Transfer and Consular Modernization
The Secretariat of State for Senegalese Abroad has introduced a pilot program allowing diaspora professionals in health and higher education to serve in rural communities for fixed periods. Additionally, a reform of consular cards is underway in partnership with Synapsys to modernize administrative services for the global diaspora.
Senegal Implements UN-Backed Ten-Step Plan to Modernize Road Safety Infrastructure
Launched in late January 2025, this three-year initiative aims to enhance road safety through improved design standards and specialized training for infrastructure professionals. The project is a collaboration between the Senegalese government and the United Nations Road Safety Fund (UNRSF) to reduce traffic-related fatalities through better engineering and capacity building.
Senegal's SEZ Rules: What the 150-Job Quota and Data Localization Mean for Investors
Firms seeking tax and customs benefits in Senegal's Special Economic Zones must hire at least 150 Senegalese nationals full-time. Meanwhile, a data localization rule applies to government data. Here is what both regulations mean in practice.