Senegal’s free Internet plan could pose cybersecurity risks
Late last year, Senegal’s Minister of Communication, Telecommunications and Digital Economy Alioune Sall announced that the country was planning on giving free Internet access to one million people by the end of 2026, particularly those who reside in remote areas.
In February this year, Senegalese President Bassirou Diomaye Faye officially launched the Universal Connectivity initiative aimed at providing one million residents with Internet access so as to bridge the digital divide.
According to the President, the launch is set to make digital technology an instrument for territorial inclusion, access to equal opportunities and social justice.
It also commits the country to universal digital access as a lever for human capital transformation, job creation and sovereignty.
However, two days prior to the launch of the Universal Connectivity program, the Directorate of File Automation (DAF) was hacked.
The DAF operates under the Ministry of Interior and Public Security and oversees the management of the country’s biometric population register and issues identity documents including national ID cards, passports and residency documents.
The cyberattack was reportedly conducted by a hacker group called the Green Blood Group taking a large cache of data which includes biometrics, identity records, birth records and immigration files.
Vulnerability of Senegal’s cyberspace
As of the end of 2025, Senegal’s online penetration stood at 60.6%, however, only 3% of rural households have access to the Internet, hence the need for the Universal Connectivity initiative.
Although Senegal has one of the fastest Internet speeds in West Africa, the country has already undergone two serious cyberattacks within a space of only a few months.
In October 2025, the country’s national tax authority the Direction Générale des Impôts et des Domaines (DGID) was reportedly hacked by the Black Shrantact which took approximately 1TB of data including tax declarations, identity documents, payroll tokens, internal financial records, as well as password vault exports and scanned credentials.
According to cybersecurity expert Clément Domingo, there is no clear intention on the issue of cybersecurity and data protection, not only in Senegal but across the entire continent.
“Cybersecurity is nothing but an illusion, cyberattacks on the African continent are no longer a myth but a sad reality. Numerous African institutions are now constantly under cyberattacks from all directions and Senegal is far from being an exception,” said Domingo.
“We need a task team, an observatory, it’s also high time Senegal establishes a national cybersecurity agency,” he added.
_(1).jpg?width=1280&auto=webp&quality=80&disable=upscale "Cybersecurity concept: a man in hoodie holding up his hands to a blue hologram projecting computer code and a lock.")
Two recent cyberattacks on government institutions have exposed the data of Senegalese citizens including identity documents, tax declarations and biometric data. (Source: Freepik – AI-generated)
In addition, Domingo said due to Senegal’s geographical and geopolitical position, cyberattacks will likely persist, with the economy suffering in the long run.
He urged the government to be proactive rather than reactive.
Senegal’s quest for digital transformation
On February 24, 2025, Senegal’s President launched a digital strategy called the Technological New Deal, which places digital technology at the heart of national development and a prospective leader within Africa’s digital economy.
According to the President, the world is now at a pivotal moment where technology profoundly impacts economies and societies, requiring nations to redefine their priorities to adapt to the imperatives of the digital revolution.
Under Senegal’s Startup Ecosystem initiative, the West African nation aims to have over 500 recognized tech startups, 150,000 direct jobs in the digital sector and another 200,000 indirectly by 2034, with the digital economy contributing 15% of the country’s GDP.
The country plans to graduate 100,000 IT specialists, certify 90% of its digital experts locally and ensure that almost all citizens have quality Internet access.
According to Angela Wamola, Head of Africa at the GSMA, Senegal has all the ingredients to become one of Africa’s most dynamic digital economies.
“By focusing on affordability, digital skills and an enabling policy environment, Senegal can unlock opportunities for every community from farmers and traders to students, entrepreneurs and public service users,” said Wamola.
“These reforms can transform digital access into real, meaningful impact for people, while strengthening Senegal’s long-term economic resilience,” she added.
GSMA analysis shows that Senegal has a 97% population coverage for 4G and 39% for 5G, with 8.16 million unique mobile Internet users, equivalent to 43% of the population of 19 million.
With the unemployment rate hovering at around 19%, investing in IT is set to help Senegal resolve issues related to education, democracy, economic growth and environmental sustainability.
Many studies have attributed the lack of digitalization in the country to high costs, poor infrastructure, regional inequality, as well as digital illiteracy, digital gender gaps and inadequate governance systems.
These can be solved with a coordinated long-term investment in rural broadband, economies of scale pricing, gender-inclusive digital training and combined digital services in health, agriculture and local government.