Editor’s Note
This article highlights Senegal’s strategic push for industrial self-sufficiency, focusing on a major new refinery in Sendou. The project underscores a national shift towards import substitution, local value addition, and job creation in the agribusiness sector.
Senegal is strengthening its industrial capabilities with the imminent commissioning of a food oil refinery with a capacity of 600 tonnes per day, representing an investment of 60 billion CFA francs. Located in Sendou, in the Rufisque department, this unit, spearheaded by the Mavamar Industries group, aligns with the national policy of food security and sovereignty, aiming to reduce imports, promote local processing, and create jobs. Its Managing Director, Mr. Souleymane Ndoye, and his delegation were received by the Head of State yesterday, Friday.
The establishment of industrial infrastructure dedicated to food oil refining is evolving. It reflects a desire to strengthen the local processing of agricultural products, reduce dependence on imports, and consolidate oilseed value chains, long weakened by low industrial integration.
Long dominated by peanut-focused oil mills, Senegal’s vegetable oil industry is entering a phase of restructuring marked by the emergence of modern, high-capacity units. This evolution signifies a change in scale, both in terms of investments and industrial ambitions, with the goal of better meeting national needs and a more assertive integration into regional markets.
Among the projects of this transformation is the refinery located in Sendou, whose official inauguration is announced as imminent. This project, led by the Mavamar Industries group, represents an investment estimated at 60 billion CFA francs. With a production capacity of about 600 tonnes of food oils per day, or nearly 180,000 tonnes per year in continuous operation, the unit is expected to cover a significant portion of national consumption.
Through this type of investment, authorities and operators seek to lay the foundations for a more integrated agri-food industry, less exposed to external shocks.
The development of local refining capacity is part of a broader logic of adding value to agricultural resources. Peanuts, oil palm, soybeans, and certain tropical seeds constitute raw materials capable of supplying these industrial units. Their on-site processing not only offers more stable outlets for producers but also creates added value within the national territory.
This industrial dynamic also has impacts on employment and skills. Modern refineries require a skilled workforce, from technicians to engineers, and promote the transfer of know-how in areas such as industrial maintenance, quality control, or logistics. The recent launch of recruitment campaigns, covering several dozen positions, is a sign of an imminent operational phase.
While Senegal has a long tradition of processing oilseeds, notably through artisanal, semi-industrial, or industrial oil mills, the creation of large modern refineries constitutes an important step. It reflects a desire to move upmarket and reposition the country in the agri-food industry segments. The competitiveness of refined products is another crucial factor.
In the long term, if these conditions are met, the rise of food oil refining will help reposition Senegal as a regional industrial player, while strengthening its food security and its capacity to transform its agricultural resources.