Car drive past a French group Auchan supermarket on October 24, 2017 in the Yoff district of Dakar as the French group reinforces its presence in the Senegalese capital after buying City Dia stores. (Photo by SEYLLOU / AFP)

French businesses find fertile ground in Senegal

From the Dakar corniche to the island of Gorée, and from the airport motorway to rural villages, tens of thousands of solar streetlights now illuminate Senegal. This sector is led by two French firms: Ragni, a family-owned company from the Alpes-Maritimes, and Fonroche, an SME based in Agen. They are among the 340 French enterprises established in the country. While major French corporations such as Orange, TotalEnergies, Auchan, and Eiffage have a long-standing foothold in West Africa, smaller and medium-sized businesses are also identifying significant opportunities for growth in this market.