Outsourcing to Senegal: costs, profiles and cities (2026)

Page updated on 21 October 2026. Public data checked; sources at the end of the page.

European companies are looking at Senegal for two reasons: a time zone close to Europe (UTC+0 all year) and a CFA franc pegged to the euro (€1 = 655.957 CFA francs). The country has a labour force of 6,779,717 people in Q2 2026, according to the National Agency for Statistics and Demography (ANSD). However, only 26% of inhabitants speak French and English is not widespread. The legal minimum wage is about €98 per month. This page sets out costs, cities, employment law, infrastructure and the limits of the market, with its sources.

Senegal at a glance: key figures

Why outsource to Senegal?

Three strengths stand out. Time: Senegal stays on UTC+0, which is London time in winter and 1 h behind London in summer. Currency: the fixed parity removes the exchange rate risk between the euro and the CFA franc. Youth: the median age is 19.0 years (2023).

The market remains emerging. A job website lists about fifteen operators in Dakar, and Foundever reports about 1,200 employees at a site opened in 2019. But no public statistics for the sector were found for 2023-2026, and the "New Deal Technologique" strategy (2025) does not mention call centres.

The job market in Senegal

According to the ANSD note for Q2 2026, unemployment under the broad definition is 19.1%: it includes people who are available but not looking for work for reasons beyond their control. Under the strict International Labour Office definition, the rate is 3.2%. A third series, modelled by the International Labour Organization (World Bank), gives 2.7% in 2025. The ANSD compares only year on year, because the rate varies from one quarter to the next.

In Q2 2026, 15-34-year-olds stand at 23.5% under the broad definition; higher-education graduates were at 20.5% in 2023. Informal employment dominates: 84% in 2019 (WIEGO). A 72-hour general strike is announced for 21 to 23 October 2026; according to Xalima (20 October 2026), the Ministry of Labour disputes the notice. Its effect on call centres is not documented.

How much does an employee cost in Senegal?

The legal minimum wage (SMIG, non-agricultural sector) is 370.526 CFA francs per hour since 1 July 2023 (PaySpace), rounded to 371 CFA francs by the French public body CLEISS. Over 40 hours a week, that gives 64,223 CFA francs per month, or about €98. A payroll website gives 75,052 CFA francs (about €114); the decree was not found. Fixed rate used: 655.957 CFA francs to €1.

The new Social Security Code (law no. 2026-19 of 3 September 2026) replaces the texts of 1973 and 1975. The employer rates of 1 January 2026 (7% for family benefits, 1% to 5% for work accidents, 8.4% for pensions; CLEISS, PwC) are not confirmed after the reform: no total employer cost is calculated.

There is no national survey or consultancy data: these single-source figures (blogs, calculators) are orders of magnitude (gross, per month).

These scales are two to three times higher than the answers to an anonymous survey (Paylab: €355 to €473 after 5 years, fewer than 20 respondents); none can be verified. The junior-to-senior gap for the developer, calculated on the mid-points of the ranges, runs from 3.7 to 4.2, compared with about 1.75 in France.

In France, Michael Page (2022) reports around €40,000 gross per year for a junior developer and up to €70,000 for a senior one; as the sources are heterogeneous, no percentage saving is calculated.

And with MaaSil? A market salary is not the cost of a service: it covers neither recruitment, nor payroll, nor HR follow-up, nor coordination. MaaSil states that it applies a public price list, the same for all countries: about €1,150 excl. VAT per month for general profiles and about €2,600 excl. VAT for senior IT developers. See the pricing.

Which cities should you choose to outsource to Senegal?

Regional populations in 2025 (ANSD). No cost difference between cities is sourced.

Dakar

The capital region has 4,157,751 inhabitants, or 22% of the country. Cheikh Anta Diop University offers IT courses there. According to a job website, call centres are concentrated in Point E, Almadies and Mermoz.

Diamniadio

This urban hub is home to Amadou Mahtar Mbow University. The Digital Technology Park, announced for March 2026, has not been confirmed as open; no park dedicated to call centres was found.

Thiès and Saint-Louis

Thiès (2,587,092 inhabitants) is home to the Thiès Polytechnic School, and Saint-Louis (1,259,713 inhabitants) to Gaston Berger University.

What is the time difference with Europe?

Senegal, on UTC+0 all year, is on the same time as London in winter and 1 h behind in summer. The table assumes 9am to 6pm working hours on both sides.

British Summer Time ends on 25 October 2026: the gap with London then goes from 1 h to 0 h. Morocco has also been on UTC+0 since 20 September 2026; Tunisia is on UTC+1.

Languages and skills available

French is the official language, but the population mainly speaks Wolof (53.5% of people aged 3 and over) and Pulaar (26.3%), according to the 2023 census. The International Organisation of La Francophonie estimates the share of French speakers at 26% in 2022.

The EF Education First English Proficiency Index (EF EPI 2025) ranks the country 102nd out of 123, in the "very low" category (442). According to a training blog (Kolonell, 2026), an English-speaking account costs about 80,000 CFA francs (€122) more per month. Foundever mentions Spanish and Portuguese; nothing on other European languages.

Infrastructure: internet, electricity, technology parks

Internet. The median fixed speed is 38.06 Mbit/s in March 2026 (Ookla).

Electricity. Access reaches 82.9% of the population in 2024. According to Le360 Afrique (26 September 2026), load shedding (power cuts) affects several localities, including Dakar. A trade union puts the shortfall at about 150 MW (Senego, 16 September 2026), not confirmed by Senelec.

Data protection and employment law

Law no. 2008-12 of 25 January 2008 remains the framework for personal data; a revision bill was "pending" in October 2024, current status not found. Senegal does not benefit from an adequacy decision by the European Commission: transfers from the European Union require other safeguards, in practice standard contractual clauses.

Law no. 2026-18 of 3 September 2026 (Official Gazette no. 7931 of 17 September 2026) replaced the 1997 Labour Code: guides describing the old code are out of date. It sets 40 hours a week, a probationary period of 6 months at most, fixed-term contracts of 2 years at most and regulated remote working. Notice periods and overtime depend on decrees that were not read; no deferred entry into force appears in the final provisions read.

Article 291 prohibits "marchandage" (the supply of labour for profit that harms the worker or evades labour law), notably for the client's main and permanent activity. Its effect on a provider working for a European client is not detailed: we infer neither a ban nor an authorisation. Local legal advice remains necessary.

Practical information: currency, public holidays, flights and visas

Currency. The West African CFA franc has been pegged to the euro at 655.957 CFA francs since 1 January 1999, with convertibility guaranteed by France. For a client paying in euros, the exchange rate risk is nil as long as the parity holds; no source calls it into question.

Recent context. According to Burkina 24 (31 August 2026), Moody's downgraded the sovereign rating from Caa1 to Caa2 on 28 August 2026 (negative outlook). The International Monetary Fund (IMF) announced a staff-level agreement on 1 September 2026 (about US$2.2 billion over 36 months). It remains subject to approval by the Executive Board, not found as of 21 October.

Public holidays. A calendar aggregator counts 14 public holidays in 2026, with provisional Muslim dates; no official list was found.

Flights and visas. A flight-tracking website shows a direct Air France Paris-Dakar flight of about 5 h 42. French citizens are exempt from a visa for stays of under three months (France Diplomatie, 29 September 2026), as are British citizens.

Safety. The French Ministry of Foreign Affairs (29 September 2026) advises against, except for imperative reasons, certain border areas of Casamance, the border with Mali and the south of the border with Mauritania. It reports muggings in Dakar.

Senegal compared with other African destinations

Working hours differ: these minimums (2023 for Senegal, 2026 for the others) do not compare labour costs.

• Morocco: higher minimum wage, speed, English and French-speaking share (outsourcing to Morocco).
• Tunisia: higher minimum wage, English and French-speaking share, lower speed, UTC+1 time zone (outsourcing to Tunisia).
• Côte d'Ivoire: same currency and same central bank, 34% French speakers (outsourcing to Côte d'Ivoire).

How MaaSil recruits in Senegal

MaaSil states that it recruits in Senegal remotely and relies on a business manager based in the country. The selection process is, according to MaaSil, the same as for its consultants in Madagascar (see the home page): pre-selection, two interviews, technical tests, then presentation to the client. MaaSil states that it recruits in about one month and aims for full autonomy in about four weeks.

MaaSil states that it handles recruitment, the contractual relationship, payroll, HR follow-up and coordination; the client directs the assignments day to day. The arrangements in Madagascar (premises, backup power) are not transposed here. See why MaaSil or contact us.

Which jobs can you outsource to Senegal?

The sources mainly describe customer relations:

• customer relations officer;
• full stack developer;
• accountant and administrative assistant: no salary sourced by level.

FAQ: outsourcing to Senegal

Sources and methodology

This page was written by MaaSil Inc, an outsourcing company, from public data consulted on 21 October 2026 (statistical institutes, international organisations, salary guides). Figures change; found a mistake? Write to us via our contact page.

• ANSD, Population Yearbook of Senegal 2025
• World Bank, unemployment (modelled estimate)
• BCEAO, history of the CFA franc
• Official Gazette, law no. 2026-19 (Social Security Code)
• EF EPI, English proficiency index: Senegal
• OIF, estimates of French speakers 2022
• IMF, press release of 1 September 2026
• Foundever, outsourcing services in Senegal