The Front Syndical pour la Défense du Travail (FSDT) has launched a 72-hour general strike across the Senegalese territory on October 21, 22, and 23, 2026, affecting the public, private, and informal sectors. At the National Electricity Company of Senegal (Senelec), the Syndicat Unique des Travailleurs de l’Electricité (SUTELEC) is participating along with the Syndicat Unique et Démocratique des Travailleurs de l’Energie (SUDETEN).
Four demands are being made: the payment of the PRAB (bonus on annual profit), a benefit whose payment is conditional on the certification of a profitable result by the auditors, with the unions estimating it at around 10% of the profit, or nearly 3 billion CFA francs; the rejection of the subsidiary project; the withdrawal of Akilee from commercial operations, a company owned 34% by Senelec and 66% by I-Nes, accused of promoting the outsourcing of customer management; and the settlement by the State of its debt, estimated by the unions at over 600 billion CFA francs.
The subsidiary project
Announced under Abdoulaye Wade, reactivated under Macky Sall and then suspended, the project is now presented as imminent. In early October 2026, the Minister of Energy and Petroleum, El Hadji Abdourahmane Diouf, indicated that Senelec would be transformed into a holding company overseeing several subsidiaries by the end of 2027: production, transmission, and distribution-marketing would be placed in separate subsidiaries, with the holding company retaining the concession and license agreement. The Electricity Code of 2021 provides for this transformation; its Article 82 defines the transitional conditions.
According to the general secretary of SUTELEC, Mohamed Habib Aidara, the project is unnecessary, as the company is showing positive figures, with the problem lying in the non-payment of the State’s debts. The Prime Minister, for his part, urged workers to prioritize dialogue, citing the example of Petrosen, organized into subsidiaries. The government advocates for an organizational reform without transfer of ownership (100% public ownership maintained, without a strategic private partner) and dismisses any pressure from the IMF or the World Bank. Critics argue that the separation into distinct companies would pave the way for competition in the most profitable segments and weaken public service.
Public debt and the energy bill
As early as July 2026, workers estimated at over 182 billion CFA francs the unpaid consumption of administrations and local authorities and public lighting. In addition, according to the unions, there are 391 billion in tariff compensations owed by the State, nearly 60 billion related to electricity exports, and around 9 billion owed by rural electrification concessionaires.
The reduction of the first tariff tier lowered the price from 91.17 to 82 CFA francs per kilowatt-hour for small domestic customers; the Energy Sector Regulatory Commission (CRSE) estimates the loss for Senelec at 18.279 billion CFA francs in revenue in 2026.
According to the 2026 amending budget bill, subsidies intended to contain electricity and fuel prices would reach 790.3 billion CFA francs, compared to the initially budgeted 250 billion, with growth reduced to 2.7%. The budget deficit would be increased to 7.6% of GDP, with a corresponding reduction of 555 billion CFA francs in public investment expenses.
The reaction of the management
In an information note addressed to the staff dated October 19, 2026, the general manager of Senelec, Papa Toby Gaye, responded to the strike announcement. The management indeed stated that they had not received any formal strike notice and reminded that, according to Article 436 of the labor code, a 30-day notice is legally required.
Regarding the demands, the management specified that a dispute over the payment of the 2025 PRAB had already been subject to a conciliation signed on September 1, 2026. They also threatened disciplinary sanctions in case of procedure violations, while inviting employees to maintain public service and expressing openness to continue discussions on the Akilee and subsidiary issues.
Quickly, SUTELEC denounced “a classic dissuasion maneuver aimed at weakening the legitimate mobilization of workers.”
Context
This call to action is part of a nationwide social conflict. A first 24-hour general strike was observed on July 10, 2026, against labor code and social security reform projects, considered to be developed without sufficient consultation; in September, ten trade union centers announced a three-day stoppage, denouncing a deterioration in social dialogue, non-compliance with certain agreements, and their limited involvement in the preparation of new texts.
The demands, brought by the FSDT, go beyond the electricity issue: reinstatement of dismissed workers, implementation of agreements in education, health, local authorities, justice, and transportation, respect for the commitments of the National Pact for Social Stability signed on May 1, 2025, generalization of the 100,000 CFA franc housing allowance, pension increase, and regulation of fixed-term contracts.
On October 15, Prime Minister Ahmadou Al Aminou Lô requested a three-month moratorium on the announced strikes; the FSDT refused to suspend its movement without concrete progress. For Mody Guiro, general secretary of the CNTS and coordinator of the Front, negotiation requires “written and recorded actions.” The G7, which brings together seven education unions, announced a total strike on the same dates.
