In Africa, there is a growing trend towards giving priority to domestic sourcing in key sectors, particularly in West Africa. Laws are being passed or are already in force, as in Senegal. Senegal's local content policy aims to maximise the participation of local businesses and citizens in economic projects, particularly in the extractive industries (Oil, Gas, Mining) and other major industrial sectors, to ensure that economic benefits directly benefit the national economy and local populations.

Key Aspects of Local Content in Senegal

• Local employment:
  • Priority given to hiring Senegalese workers.
  • Training programmes to develop local skills.
• Supply of local goods and services:
  • Encouraging the use of Senegalese goods and services.
  • Creation of opportunities for local SMEs.
• Development of local capacity:
  • Investment in education and technical training.
  • Technology transfer to local companies.
• Partnerships and joint-ventures:
  • Promotion of partnerships between foreign and local companies.
  • Incentives to create joint-ventures to strengthen local companies.
• Policies and regulations:
  • Specific laws and regulations to ensure compliance with local content requirements.
  • Monitoring and assessment of companies for compliance.

Regulatory Framework in Senegal

Senegal supports local content through the Petroleum Code, the Mining Code, and Decree No. 2019-881 of 17 May 2019, imposing local employment quotas and subcontracting requirements with local companies.

How Etifak, B2B Marketplace, Helps Promote Local Content

• Facilitating access to local markets:
  • Centralisation of offers and requests, increasing the visibility of local suppliers.
• Promotion of local suppliers:
  • Detailed profiles of local businesses, including skills and certifications.
  • Rankings and assessments to build their reputation.
• Capacity and skills building:
  • Access to training and educational resources.
  • Facilitation of partnerships for skills transfer.
• Optimising purchasing processes:
  • Simplification and transparency of calls for tender.
  • Automating processes to reduce costs and lead times.
• Tracking and compliance:
  • Detailed transaction reporting to ensure compliance with local content policies.
  • Transparency and traceability of transactions.
• Support for SMEs and local businesses:
  • Microfinance and credit through partnerships with financial institutions.
  • Logistic support to meet the demands of large companies.

Conclusion

Etifak, as a B2B marketplace, is a powerful tool for promoting local content in Senegal. It facilitates transactions between large companies and local suppliers, builds the capacity of local businesses and ensures transparency and compliance in purchasing processes. A later publication will detail a case study on how Etifak can be used to maximise the effectiveness of local content adaptation.