Senegal caps 2026 deficit at 1,735.2 billion CFA francs

The Senegalese government is maintaining the deficit ceiling set in the draft supplementary finance bill for 2026 at 1,735.2 billion CFA francs, or 7.6% of gross domestic product, according to a response from the Ministry of Economy, Finance and Planning dated 29 October. The amount is a maximum authorisation, not a forecast of final execution.

The government justifies this ceiling by citing uncertainty over expected revenue in the final quarter, volatility in oil prices and the need to settle obligations to companies in order to prevent new arrears. The supplementary budget’s overall financing needs are estimated at 6,774 billion CFA francs.

The document provides 790.3 billion CFA francs for the energy sector, including 718.3 billion for the Special Fund to Support the Energy Sector and 72 billion for Cerp. Social transfers are allocated 70 billion, including 48 billion mobilised by Cerp. The number of households receiving family security allowances is expected to rise from 355,013 to 469,497.

The state lists 1,956.3 billion CFA francs in arrears still to be settled, spread across 5,425 cases, after 538.6 billion was paid in 2025. Of this remaining amount, 967.8 billion concerns regular cases and 988.5 billion cases involving irregularities or missing supporting documents, which will not be paid before verification.

These responses follow questions from the Finance and Budget Oversight Committee set out in its memorandum of 26 October. The government had previously defended its budget choices after the rejection of the 2026 supplementary finance bill, while the 790.3-billion energy budget was detailed on 25 October in an article on energy subsidies.