📋 Tender Overview
The Board of Directors of the African Development Bank Group on 8 December 2022 approved additional financing of 5.01 million for the future Digital Technology Park in Diamniadio Senegal. The African Development Bank Group thus confirms its support for the project initiated in 2016 thanks to an initial loan of 60.96 million it extended to the country. Although the project is now about 80 complete the Covid-19 crisis has caused a delay in some construction works due to global inflation on the materials costs and supply chain disruptions.With this new loan the Bank is assuming 87 of the 73.62 million total project cost with the Senegalese government contributing the equivalent of 9.64 million. The Senegalese Ministry of Economy Planning and Cooperation is coordinating the aid through its Directorate of Economic and Financial Cooperation.The 25-hectare future park is being developed in the emerging Diamniadio urban hub located about 35 km from the capital Dakar. Some 20 companies including multinationals such as ATOS Free formerly Tigo Senegal and Solution Informatique Durable SOLID have expressed interest in locating some of their activities in the future park. However they need a solid communication infrastructure to operate.This loan will help equip the planned Data Center within the Park with a state-of-the-art storage and processing architecture through an international tender.This project will help diversify and modernize Senegals economy and private sector said Marie-Laure Akin-Olugbade African Development Banks Acting Vice-President for Regional Development Integration and Business Delivery. This Park will transform Senegal into a regional digital hub thus providing digital solutions to already existing industries such as the agricultural sector. The goal is to increase the ICT sectors share of economic activity from 7 to 10 by 2026.In addition to the Data Centre components of the ambitious project include business process outsourcing facilities an ICT incubator a training center a research center and an audio-visual production and content development center. The project also provides for institutional support capacity building and the establishment of a management team responsible for its implementation.The ICT sector is one of the most advanced in West Africa and the project will benefit an entire ecosystem said Mohammed Cherif the Banks Country Manager in Senegal.Mr. Cherif said This includes communication service operators Internet service providers multi-nationals as well as some 30000 men and women working in various ICT-related fields such as sales networking systems design and software and content development. The innovative solutions which will be developed in the Park will also benefit government entities which will be able to improve the delivery of public services.The Future Park is at the heart of the Digital Senegal 2025 strategy which aims to create some 35000 direct jobs from activities such as call centers softwarehardware engineers and application development engineers. It also envisages creating around 105000 indirect jobs in housing telecommunications real estate rental transportation catering and other support services.
