Senegal is moving through one of the most important energy changes in its modern history. For decades, the country depended heavily on imported petroleum products to generate electricity, move goods and support economic activity. It now produces crude oil from the offshore Sangomar field and exports liquefied natural gas from the Greater Tortue Ahmeyim project shared with Mauritania. At the same time, Senegal still relies on fuel oil and coal for much of its electricity, while rural communities continue to face weaker access than Dakar and other cities.
This creates a complex national energy story. Senegal is becoming an oil and gas producer, but it must still expand the grid, reduce electricity costs, manage new resource income and continue building solar, wind and regional hydropower capacity.
From Energy Importer to West African Oil and Gas Producer
Senegal’s energy position changed in June 2024, when production began at the Sangomar offshore oil field. Located about 100 kilometres south of Dakar, Sangomar was the country’s first commercial offshore oil development. The field produced 16.9 million barrels during 2024, exceeding the original target for its first year of operation. Its production system was designed to move toward approximately 100,000 barrels per day once all wells were active.[3]
The start of oil production carries both economic and strategic importance. Senegal can now earn export revenue from a resource that it previously had to import. It can also develop local jobs and services connected to offshore engineering, shipping, storage, finance and petroleum operations.
However, becoming an oil producer does not automatically make Senegal independent from imported energy. Much of the country’s electricity system still uses heavy fuel oil and diesel. Senegal must also import or produce the correct mix of refined fuels for vehicles, industry, aviation and power plants. Crude oil production is only one part of that supply chain.
Natural gas adds another layer. The Greater Tortue Ahmeyim project, commonly called GTA, began producing gas around the start of 2025. Its first LNG cargo was loaded for export in April 2025. The first phase is designed to produce about 2.3 million tonnes of LNG per year from a deepwater field located across the maritime border between Senegal and Mauritania.[4]
Together, Sangomar and GTA have placed Senegal on the regional energy map. The larger test is whether offshore production can improve daily energy conditions inside the country.
Senegal’s Electricity Mix Still Depends on Thermal Power
Senegal has expanded its renewable energy sector, but thermal generation remains the foundation of the national electricity system.
Senelec, the state electricity company, reported total power production of about 7,466 gigawatt-hours in 2024. Thermal plants produced approximately 6,030 GWh, or just over four-fifths of the total. Hydropower supplied about 652 GWh, solar produced 410 GWh and wind contributed almost 374 GWh.[1]
The figures show why Senegal’s energy transition cannot be described as a simple move from fossil fuels to renewable energy. Solar and wind have become visible parts of the grid, but fuel-burning plants still provide most of the electricity required by homes, businesses and industry.
The country’s installed capacity tells a similar story. Senelec listed approximately 2,290 megawatts of capacity for 2025. Thermal plants accounted for about 1,711 MW, compared with 292 MW of solar, 159 MW of wind and 127 MW of hydropower.[2]
Senegal’s thermal fleet includes utility-owned plants, independent power producers and floating generation. Karpowership, which operates a power ship connected to the Senegalese grid, was one of the country’s largest individual sources in 2024. Its capacity was increased to 335 MW during the year as Senelec responded to rising demand. The Malicounda, ContourGlobal and Tobène plants also supplied major volumes of power.[1]
This structure gives Senegal dispatchable electricity that can operate when demand rises or renewable output falls. It also leaves the country exposed to fuel costs, foreign currency pressure and changes in international petroleum markets.
Coal in Senegal Is Concentrated at Sendou
Coal is not spread across Senegal’s power sector. Its role is concentrated mainly in the Sendou power station near Bargny, southeast of Dakar.
The Sendou plant has a capacity of approximately 125 MW. In 2024, it delivered nearly 772 GWh to the grid, making it a significant source of national electricity despite being Senegal’s only major coal-fired power facility. It operated with a reported availability rate of more than 97% during the year.[1]
Sendou was developed during a period when Senegal urgently needed stable generating capacity and wanted to reduce its dependence on expensive emergency power. It has since become an awkward part of the country’s transition plans. The government has discussed converting the facility from coal to natural gas, but the conversion had not been completed by 2025.[8]
The plant also carries a strong local meaning. Bargny is connected to fishing, fish processing and coastal livelihoods. Community groups have raised concerns about land use, pollution, marine impacts and the position of the plant close to residential and working areas.[8]
Coal therefore has a larger political importance than its number of plants might suggest. Sendou provides dependable power, but it also represents the older type of energy infrastructure that Senegal’s gas and renewable strategies are meant to replace.
Natural Gas and Senegal’s Gas-to-Power Strategy
Senegal sees natural gas as a way to reduce the cost and environmental impact of an electricity system built around heavy fuel oil.
Gas-fired generation can be more flexible than coal and generally produces fewer local pollutants and less carbon dioxide than oil or coal when burned efficiently. It can also support solar and wind by increasing or reducing output as weather conditions change.
The national gas-to-power strategy aims to convert suitable thermal plants and develop infrastructure that can bring gas from offshore fields to power stations and industrial users. This would require more than access to gas reserves. Senegal needs pipelines, receiving facilities, treatment equipment, power-plant conversions, financing and long-term supply agreements.
GTA is an important gas project, but its first phase is designed mainly around LNG exports. Senegal’s domestic power ambitions have also been connected to the Yakaar-Teranga gas discovery, which lies in Senegalese waters and has been discussed as a potential source for electricity, fertilizers and industry.
The economic case depends on the price of domestic gas. If gas delivered to power plants is cheaper than imported fuel oil, it could lower generation costs and improve energy security. If infrastructure expenses are too high, or if export markets offer better returns, the domestic benefits may be slower to appear.
There is also a question of scale. Senegal’s electricity demand is growing, but large gas projects can create long-term financial commitments. Gas plants and pipelines must be planned alongside renewables, storage and regional power trade rather than treated as replacements for every other source.
For Senegal, natural gas is likely to become an important transition fuel. Its success will be measured by whether it reduces fuel imports and electricity costs, not simply by how much gas is produced offshore.
Sangomar Oil Does Not End the Need for Refining and Imports
Oil is central to transport, industry and public revenue in Senegal. Road vehicles, freight, fishing fleets, aviation and backup generators all depend on petroleum products.
The Sangomar field gives the country a domestic source of crude, but Senegal cannot process all of that output at home. The Société Africaine de Raffinage, or SAR, operates the refinery at Mbao near Dakar. Modernization work increased its capacity to around 1.5 million tonnes per year, while Sangomar was designed to produce several million tonnes of crude annually.[11]
This difference explains why much of Senegal’s new crude production is exported. It also explains why local refining remains a major policy issue. A larger and more flexible refinery could process more Senegalese oil, reduce some fuel imports and support petrochemical or industrial development.
Refining decisions must still be based on cost. A country does not always save money by processing every barrel domestically. Refineries require large investments, regular maintenance, reliable crude supplies and access to markets for every product they produce.
For Senegal, the best outcome may be a balance: export some crude, refine a larger share locally and use petroleum income to finance infrastructure that supports the wider economy.
Transport demand will remain a major part of the oil market. Dakar’s congestion, the movement of goods between the port and inland regions, and the growth of private vehicle ownership all support fuel consumption. Public transport investment and vehicle electrification could slow future growth, but oil will remain important for many years.
Solar and Wind Have Already Changed Senegal’s Grid
Senegal has developed one of the more visible utility-scale renewable energy sectors in West Africa. Solar and wind no longer operate only as pilot technologies. They are established parts of national power supply.
The country’s solar portfolio includes facilities at Bokhol, Malicounda, Santhiou Mékhé, Ten Mérina, Sakal, Kahone and Kael. The Kael and Kahone projects were developed through the World Bank Group’s Scaling Solar program and added a combined 60 MW of capacity. The program used competitive procurement and private financing to reduce project risk and attract investors.[6]
Senegal’s strongest single renewable asset is the Taïba N’Diaye wind farm in the Thiès region. With a capacity of 158.7 MW, the project is one of the largest wind farms in West Africa. It delivered about 374 GWh to Senegal’s interconnected grid in 2024.[1]
Taïba N’Diaye is important not only because of its size. It demonstrated that a large privately financed wind development could be connected to the Senegalese grid and operate at high availability. The project also supports local agricultural communities through lease payments and land-use arrangements around the turbines.[6]
The next challenge is integration. Solar output rises during daylight hours, while wind production changes with weather conditions. Senegal must be able to balance these changes without maintaining an excessive amount of expensive oil-fired backup power.
Battery storage can help. Senelec and Infinity Power signed an agreement for a 40 MW battery system with 160 MWh of storage linked to the Taïba N’Diaye development. The system is intended to improve grid stability and allow Senegal to accept more variable renewable electricity.[12]
Renewable expansion will depend increasingly on transmission and storage rather than only on the construction of new solar panels or wind turbines.
Regional Hydropower Gives Senegal Electricity Beyond Its Borders
Senegal’s hydropower story is regional rather than purely national. The country receives electricity from shared projects connected to the Senegal River system, including Manantali, Félou and Gouina.
These facilities are linked to cooperation among Senegal, Mali and Mauritania through the Organisation pour la Mise en Valeur du Fleuve Sénégal. The arrangement allows the countries to share generation and transmission infrastructure that would be harder to develop separately.
In 2024, Senelec received nearly 237 GWh from Manantali, around 81 GWh from Félou and approximately 237 GWh from Gouina. Senegal also exchanged electricity with Guinea and sold power to The Gambia through regional connections.[1]
This trade improves flexibility. Senegal can import hydropower when water conditions and regional supply allow, while exporting electricity during other periods. The country is also connected to the wider West African Power Pool, which seeks to create a more reliable regional electricity market.
Regional power is not free from risk. Hydropower output changes with rainfall and river conditions, while international trade depends on transmission reliability and agreements between national utilities. Even so, interconnection is one of Senegal’s strongest energy assets because it reduces the need to meet every hour of demand using domestic plants alone.
Dakar’s Growth and the Rural Electricity Gap
Electricity access in Senegal has improved significantly, but the national figure hides a large difference between urban and rural areas.
A World Bank feature published in January 2025, using Senegalese government figures, placed the national access rate at 84%. Urban areas were close to universal access, while more than 30% of rural communities remained disconnected.[5]
Dakar creates a different challenge. The capital and its surrounding urban region contain a large share of Senegal’s population, businesses, government offices, industry and transport activity. Cooling equipment, commercial buildings, digital services, water systems and new housing all increase electricity demand.
Senelec recorded a peak demand of 1,159 MW in August 2024, up from 1,075 MW in 2023. Total electricity production increased by more than 12% over the same period.[1]
The grid is expanding to keep pace. By 2024, Senelec reported approximately 18,684 kilometres of medium-voltage lines and 23,004 kilometres of low-voltage lines. The utility’s published figures also show thousands of additional villages in the process of electrification.[1][2]
Extending a line to a community does not solve every access problem. Households must be able to afford connections, wiring, meters and monthly use. Remote settlements may be better served by mini-grids or stand-alone solar systems than by long transmission extensions.
Universal access therefore requires several approaches: national grid expansion, regional connections, mini-grids, solar home systems and support for customers who cannot afford the full cost of connection.
Nuclear Energy Is Not Part of Senegal’s Current Power Supply
Senegal does not operate a nuclear power plant and has no commercial nuclear generation in its electricity mix. The country works with the International Atomic Energy Agency on radiation protection, nuclear security and the safe management of radioactive materials used in medicine, research and industry.[9]
Senegal has shown interest in the long-term nuclear discussion taking place across Africa. Nuclear power could offer stable low-carbon electricity, but a national program would require a large financial commitment, specialized regulation, trained workers, waste-management systems and a grid able to support a major reactor.
Small modular reactors may change this discussion in the future, but they are not yet part of Senegal’s operating electricity system. Over the near term, gas, solar, wind, hydropower, storage and grid expansion remain more immediate priorities.
Household Energy Still Includes Charcoal, Wood and LPG
A complete Senegal energy profile must look beyond power stations. Household cooking remains one of the country’s largest energy and development challenges.
Oil products dominate Senegal’s commercial energy supply, but bioenergy remains important because many households use charcoal, firewood and other forms of biomass. This is especially common outside major cities.
Senegal has promoted liquefied petroleum gas as a cleaner cooking fuel. LPG use is well established in urban areas, but clean cooking access remains much lower in rural communities. The IEA estimated that around 30% of Senegal’s population had access to clean cooking fuels and equipment in 2022. Urban access was above 50%, while the rural rate remained below 7%.[10]
Cost is a major factor. A household may own an LPG stove but return to charcoal when cylinder refills become difficult to afford. This use of several fuels, sometimes called fuel stacking, means the transition is rarely permanent or immediate.
Domestic gas production could eventually support new cooking-fuel options, but infrastructure and household affordability will still matter. Electricity-based cooking may also grow as grid reliability improves. For now, LPG, charcoal and wood remain closely connected to household budgets, forest pressure, public health and the time required to gather or purchase fuel.
The Energy Transition Must Balance Access, Cost and Resource Wealth
Senegal’s Just Energy Transition Partnership was announced in 2023 with international partners including France, Germany, the European Union, the United Kingdom and Canada. The partnership seeks to mobilize about €2.5 billion and support a target of 40% renewable energy in the electricity mix by 2030.[7]
That target will require more solar and wind generation, but also stronger transmission, storage, flexible power plants and better utility finances. Renewable capacity cannot meet its full value when projects are delayed by weak connections or when the grid cannot accept their output.
Senegal also has to decide how oil and gas fit into the transition. The government wants to use gas to replace more expensive and polluting fuel oil. At the same time, large fossil fuel investments could compete with renewable projects for capital and create infrastructure that operates for decades.
Resource governance will be equally important. Offshore production can raise government revenue, but oil and gas markets are volatile. Public benefits depend on clear contracts, effective taxation, local participation and disciplined decisions about how revenue is spent.
The strongest use of petroleum income would be investment that remains useful after oil and gas production declines. That could include transmission lines, rural connections, public transport, education, ports, water systems, renewable energy and technical training.
Senegal’s Energy Future Will Be Decided on Land, Not Only Offshore
Sangomar and GTA have transformed Senegal’s international energy position. The country now exports crude oil and LNG, giving it opportunities that did not exist a few years ago.
The outcome inside Senegal will depend on a different set of projects: power-plant conversion, refinery development, affordable rural connections, renewable integration, battery storage and regional transmission. Coal and imported fuel still play large roles, while access remains unequal between cities and rural areas.
Senegal has the resources to build a more secure and diverse energy system. The central question is whether offshore wealth can strengthen the infrastructure used every day by households, farmers, factories, transport operators and local businesses.