Senegal ministry and Visa partner to ‘accelerate digital transformation’

Senegal Ministry of Telecommunications and Digital Affairs: an agreement has been signed with Visa with focus activity areas including digital payments | Credit: Visa / Senegal Ministry of Telecommunications and Digital Affairs Senegal’s Ministry of Telecommunications and Digital Affairs has signed a two-year agreement with Visa focused on digital payments and wider digital transformation initiatives.

The ministry has agreed a Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) with the US-headquartered financial and payment cards company to ‘accelerate digital transformation, modernise public services and bolster the development of digital payments.’ The objective is to ‘develop concrete, secure and inclusive digital solutions that serve citizens and promote financial inclusion’ and ‘build a sovereign, high-performing and resilient digital ecosystem,’ according to a short FR-language announcement (‘ Signature d’un Protocole d’accord entre le Ministère des Télécommunications et du Numérique et Visa ’ – 28 October).

The partnership will explore payments from individuals to government (person-to-government – P2G) and payments from government to individuals (government-to-person – G2P), according to Visa’s own Senegal MoU announcement . The work will ‘seek to identify how digital solutions could facilitate interactions between citizens and public services,’ Visa states.

‘Knowledge sharing on cybersecurity and financial innovation will complement this work, with the aim of promoting broader access to digital financial services in a secure and resilient environment,’ the company added. Global Government Finance’s editorial newsletter (free): sign up here ‘New Deal Technologique’ strategy Despite remaining a lower-middle-income country with persistent poverty challenges, Senegal is emerging as a notable digital reformer in West Africa.

The country of around 19 million people recorded GDP growth of 6.7 per cent in 2025, according to World Bank data . The government is pursuing a sweeping digital transformation programme aimed at digitising public services, expanding connectivity and developing its technology sector under a ‘New Deal Technologique’ strategy.

Senegal’s president Bassirou Diomaye Faye launched the New Deal in February 2025 to make the country ‘not only a hub of technological excellence in West Africa, but also a key hub on the entire continent.’ The Visa partnership comes during the early stages of Faye’s presidency as his administration seeks to deliver on pledges to modernise public services and drive economic development through digital transformation.

Global Government Finance on LinkedIn: follow us here ‘Directly address everyday needs’ Telecoms and digital affairs minister Samba Diouf said the Visa partnership marked a new milestone in implementation of the New Deal. “This strategic partnership with Visa marks a decisive step forward in our efforts to accelerate the New Deal Technologique,” said Diouf, who took up his current role in June.

“Now is the time for action: we must be fully operational and move from intent to tangible results by deploying practical, secure and inclusive solutions that directly address the everyday needs of Senegalese citizens,” Diouf added. This MoU is the first such partnership signed between Visa and a government institution in Senegal.

Next steps will involve public-private dialogue and the ‘sharing of expertise to identify collaboration opportunities aligned with national priorities’, according to the company’s announcement. “Together with the ministry, we aim to identify tangible opportunities to facilitate access to digital services and support the long-term development of the payments ecosystem in Senegal,” said Visa Western & Central Africa senior vice-president and group country manager Aminata Kane.