The obligation to declare personal assets is once again proving a crucial credibility test for Senegal’s executive branch. Reports from Dakar indicate that several government ministers have failed to comply with this legal requirement, despite patrimonial transparency being a cornerstone commitment championed by President Bassirou Diomaye Faye and Prime Minister Ousmane Sonko since their ascension to power in April 2024. This issue transcends mere administrative protocol, striking at the very heart of the official narrative’s consistency.
Senegal’s framework, established by the 2014 law creating the National Anti-Fraud and Corruption Office (OFNAC), mandates a specific range of high-ranking public officials to submit a detailed inventory of their assets upon assuming office and again upon the conclusion of their duties. This includes the President of the Republic, the Prime Minister, cabinet ministers, heads of institutions, and credit administrators overseeing funds exceeding one billion CFA francs.
Strict legal obligations for asset disclosure
The legal text is unequivocal regarding the timeline. Those subject to the law are granted a three-month window following their appointment to submit their declaration to OFNAC. Beyond this period, their legal standing becomes questionable. According to information reported by the Senegalese press, several members of the government, reshuffled in autumn 2024, are currently in violation of these regulations.
This non-compliance is far from trivial. The law stipulates that in cases of non-submission, OFNAC must issue a formal notice to the defaulting individual. Should the silence persist, the institution can initiate legal proceedings, and the failure to declare assets can lead to sanctions, including salary suspension and, if applicable, criminal charges. While designed to be a deterrent, the effectiveness of this mechanism has long been debated.
A political litmus test for the ruling power
The stakes are particularly high given that the fight against illicit enrichment and the demand for accountability were central to Pastef’s victorious campaign. The new administration has launched several investigations against former dignitaries of the Macky Sall regime, specifically leveraging the tools of OFNAC and the financial prosecutor’s office. Consequently, any observed non-compliance within the current government could undermine the moral authority claimed by the authorities.
OFNAC, now led by a magistrate following its restructuring, theoretically possesses the necessary powers to activate these procedures. The critical question remains the political will to see these processes through, especially considering that the institution’s successive reports have consistently highlighted a low compliance rate among those subject to the law, even under previous administrations. The last public report indicated hundreds of expected declarations, a significant portion of which were never submitted.
Asset transparency: a regional imperative
The Senegalese debate mirrors a broader trend across West Africa. Côte d’Ivoire, Bénin, and Burkina Faso have all implemented similar measures in recent years, driven by ECOWAS and African Union protocols aimed at preventing corruption. However, the performance of member states remains uneven, with practical implementation often hampered by administrative resistance and a lack of genuine public disclosure of declarations.
In Dakar, various civil society voices, including the Civil Forum, the Senegalese chapter of Transparency International, have long advocated for the full publication of these declarations, akin to practices in certain European democracies. This demand, however, clashes with the principle of confidentiality enshrined in Senegalese law, which restricts access to authorized bodies only and imposes criminal penalties for any unauthorized disclosure.
Nevertheless, the current situation presents the government with a straightforward dilemma. Either the implicated ministers swiftly regularize their status, bringing the incident to a close, or OFNAC activates its procedures, initiating a politically costly period for an administration that has championed exemplary conduct as a core principle. The credibility of the anti-corruption agenda hinges on such signals. The ministers facing scrutiny are now exposed to a formal notice from the institution.
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