Senegal's 2027 higher education budget rejected
By the AFREEQUE newsroom, based on Senego
The Finance Committee of Senegal's National Assembly rejected the 2027 higher education budget, set at 303.7 billion CFA francs in payment appropriations. The allocation was intended notably to fund infrastructure, scholarships, teacher recruitment and two new universities, reports Senego.
The Finance and Budgetary Control Committee of Senegal's National Assembly, meeting with the Education, Youth, Sports and Leisure Committee, rejected the 2027 budget of the Ministry of Higher Education, Research and Innovation, presented by Minister Boubacar Camara. The draft provided for 303.7 billion CFA francs in payment appropriations, compared with 301 billion in the 2026 initial finance law, an increase of 2.7 billion, according to Senego.
Commitment authorisations were set at 344.6 billion CFA francs. The allocation was intended notably to fund infrastructure, scholarships, teacher recruitment and the opening of Souleymane Niang University in Matam and Eastern Senegal University in Tambacounda. Boubacar Camara also mentioned delays in the academic calendar and tensions linked to social services.
MPs raised inconsistencies in the figures as well as questions about the sincerity and reliability of the forecasts. Ndarinfo reports that the vote against the proposals was a majority. The rejection comes after that of several other components of the 2027 budget by the same committee and after the rejection in plenary, on 3 November, of the 2026 supplementary finance law.
The 2027 finance bill was submitted on 12 October. The National Assembly has sixty days to rule on the text.
