The Commission Économie, Finance and Budget of Senegal's Kiiraay patriotic cadres has urged for a more realistic budget programming in the 2026 revised finance bill. In a memorandum, they recommended preserving priority investments, rationalizing public spending and strengthening budget execution monitoring. They expressed concerns over the reduced economic growth forecast and significant decline in expected revenue.
The planned growth rate has been lowered from 5% to 2.7% in 2026, while total revenue decreased from 6,188.8 billion FCFA to 5,848.7 billion FCFA. The initial budget deficit was 1,245.1 billion FCFA but now stands at 1,735.2 billion FCFA. These changes have been attributed to the international economic context, increased energy costs and higher debt servicing charges.
A substantial decrease in public investment credits was observed, from 2,803.9 billion FCFA to 2,248.9 billion FCFA, representing a 19.8% decline. The Commission advised distinguishing between postponed projects and those with reduced or cancelled funding. They suggested publishing a follow-up matrix detailing the amounts committed, payments made, physical progress and expected completion dates for major projects.
The Commission also emphasized protecting purchasing power, noting a significant increase in energy sector subsidies from 250 billion FCFA to 790.3 billion FCFA. They recommended better documenting the use of these funds and exploring more targeted support mechanisms. Furthermore, they requested clarification on a 120 billion FCFA financing associated with the CERP.
The Commission suggested reforming the special funds nomenclature into three categories: defense, strategic security and emergency support funds. They also advocated for rationalizing the parapublic sector based on evaluating missions, operating costs and results of concerned organizations. Additionally, they called for greater transparency on public debt and regular settlement of domestic arrears.
According to the Commission, settling certified claims could help restore enterprise liquidity, support employment and stimulate activity. The Kiiraay cadres reaffirmed their support for the economic and social recovery strategy while advocating for more realistic budget forecasts, better-documented decisions and rigorous outcome evaluations.
The revised 2026 finance bill has been necessitated by a decline in expected revenue from the Plan de redressement économique et social (PRES), which decreased from 762.6 billion FCFA to 311.5 billion FCFA. This decline represents a 59% decrease and raises concerns about the realism of initial revenue projections.
Key points
- The Commission Économie, Finance and Budget of Senegal's Kiiraay patriotic cadres recommends preserving priority investments and rationalizing public spending.
- The planned growth rate has been lowered from 5% to 2.7% in 2026.
- The Commission suggested reforming the special funds nomenclature into three categories.
