Senegal: Sonatel speeds up fibre and trains young people in digital skills

Fibre optics to narrow the digital divide

Internet access remains a major issue for businesses, students and entrepreneurs based outside the main economic centres. In Saint-Louis, Sonatel intends to speed up the roll-out of fibre optics to improve connectivity for households and professionals. A faster connection can make it easier to take online courses, work remotely, complete administrative procedures and run commercial activities online. For small businesses, the quality of the connection can also determine whether they can use cloud solutions, management software or digital payment services. The stated goal is therefore to spread the opportunities offered by digital technology more evenly across the country, beyond Dakar.

Nearly 1,000 young people already trained

The other part of the strategy concerns skills. According to statements reported by Seneweb, nearly a thousand young people have been trained since the Orange Digital Center opened in Saint-Louis in 2022. These centres help young people acquire digital skills and can help new entrepreneurial projects emerge. Sonatel now wants to increase the number of beneficiaries and develop certified training courses in promising fields, notably artificial intelligence and cybersecurity. These skills meet the growing needs of businesses, which are looking for people able to develop applications, automate tasks, make use of data and protect their IT systems.

The challenge: turning training into jobs

Training young people is a first step. The challenge is then to help them find a job, start their own business or sell their own solutions. Developing digital skills can encourage the emergence of local start-ups in sectors such as agriculture, education, retail and energy management. At the Ndar Digital Show, several projects led by young people showed the potential of digital innovation for economic activity and for promoting local heritage. For this momentum to produce lasting results, access to infrastructure, support for entrepreneurs and job opportunities will need to progress together.

Can Saint-Louis become a regional digital hub?

With stronger fibre coverage and specialised training, Saint-Louis has levers to develop its technology ecosystem. But the announcements will have to deliver concrete results: wider network coverage, a reliable connection, more young people trained and economic opportunities available locally. The initiative is part of the ambitions of Senegal’s Technology New Deal, which aims to make digital technology a driver of economic transformation.