An extensive review of government records has uncovered 245 infrastructure assets and projects that remain either incomplete or underutilized, signaling significant opportunities for optimization and urgent intervention.

The findings emerged during a high-level interministerial council meeting on infrastructure development, chaired by Prime Minister Ousmane Sonko. This initiative follows a directive from the Council of Ministers in mid-April, mandating all government departments to conduct a comprehensive inventory of ongoing and completed infrastructure projects within their portfolios.

The compiled data reveals a diverse portfolio of 245 entries, categorized into four distinct groups:

Unused completed projects: dormant assets

Thirty completed infrastructure projects remain inactive, with 25 currently facing significant operational blockages. These stalled initiatives represent a frozen investment of 279 billion West African CFA francs, with 15 flagged as high-priority due to their substantial financial impact and complex challenges.

Operational assets requiring repurposing or enhancement

Twenty-three active infrastructure assets, spread across eight key sectors, are deemed suitable for repurposing or enhancement. Managed by 13 different entities, these assets hold an estimated collective value of 1,065 billion West African CFA francs.

Projects nearing completion with urgent funding needs

Ninety-four infrastructure projects remain under construction and require immediate attention. Sixty-two of these face severe delays, with a total investment cost of 5,227 billion West African CFA francs. An additional 973 billion West African CFA francs in supplementary funding is urgently needed to bring these projects to fruition.

Recyclable state property: prime real estate opportunities

The review also identified 97 state-owned properties eligible for recycling or enhancement, 91 of which are located in the Dakar region. These properties hold an estimated market value of 132 billion West African CFA francs, with renovation costs projected at 12.1 billion West African CFA francs.

The prime minister highlighted multiple factors contributing to these infrastructure challenges:

Financial constraints

Forty-two projects have stalled due to insufficient investment credit, delayed payments, or outright payment defaults, resulting in halted construction, missing equipment, and operational budget shortfalls.

Technical difficulties

Eighteen projects face technical roadblocks, often stemming from poor coordination between project owners and utility operators such as water, electricity, and telecommunications providers. These issues lead to incomplete technical work, delivery delays, connection failures, missing installations, and deteriorating structures.

Legal complications

Fourteen projects are mired in legal disputes, including unresolved contracts, administrative blockages, unsigned agreements, and the absence of formalized institutional status through decrees.

Operational inefficiencies

Thirteen projects, some completed years ago, remain unusable due to a lack of defined operational or management models, creating paradoxical situations where completed infrastructure lies idle.

Prime Minister Sonko condemned the inefficiencies plaguing these projects, emphasizing that infrastructure development must consider future operational needs from the outset. He described the financial and resource losses as ‘’massive’’ and called for zero tolerance toward negligence, laxism, and unprofessional conduct that exacerbate delays and failures.

To address these systemic issues, the prime minister announced two decisive measures: the establishment of a dedicated committee within the Prime Minister’s Office to finalize and implement the recommendations, and a formal request to ministries to expand the inventory, acknowledging that the current assessment may not be exhaustive.

He also urged relevant authorities to proactively anticipate technical challenges related to utility connections, stressing the importance of seamless integration for newly developed infrastructure.