How digital service centres let young entrepreneurs thrive in Senegal

 

Young entrepreneurs in Senegal are bringing their business ideas to life, using two new digital service centres that offer free computers, high-speed internet, and other tools.

The centres supported by the International Trade Centre (ITC) are housed at universities in the northern city of Saint-Louis and the southern city of Ziguinchor. Through training, networking, and mentorship, the centres are helping new founders launch and grow their ventures.

Here are two of their stories:

Djiby Diop: Discovering his entrepreneurial path in agritech

When Djiby Diop joined the Saint-Louis Service Centre at Gaston Berger University, he had no idea that he would bring his ideas to life and become an innovative entrepreneur.

The 32-year-old IT graduate is now the founder of Dior Bi, a company specializing in the production of organic fruits and vegetables.

‘I found out about the Centre thanks to a friend. When I arrived, I lacked practical skills, but I had one thing: the will to become an entrepreneur. The Centre gave me the tools to make it happen,’ he says.

Among his flagship achievements is a prototype for an automatic irrigation system, designed to optimize water use and increase agricultural yields. He refined the concept with mentorship provided at the centre, which also set him up with the tools need to create the prototype.

Diop is among the 501 people who have tapped into the centre’s resources.

Ousmane Traoré: A modern innovation for livestock

Ousmane Traoré, 27, a master’s student in forestry, has always been passionate about farming and business.

In 2021, during a youth employment forum at Assane Seck University, he discovered the Ziguinchor Service Centre. For Ousmane, it was a golden opportunity to bring his ideas to life.

With mentoring and tools from the Centre, Ousmane launched Gaynako in 2021, a startup that produces livestock feed from agricultural waste and bulrush, which thrive in the region’s wetlands. Three years later, with Gaynako 2.0, he incorporated a digital platform that helps manage livestock.

He didn’t stop there. He also created Yaralma, which allows people in the city to use their phones to invest in livestock that are raised by professional ranchers.

‘With increasing urbanization, many people can no longer keep livestock at home. Thanks to Yaralma, they can buy livestock on the platform and entrust it to professional breeders while receiving real-time updates on their animals,’ explains Ousmane.

Today, Ousmane and his team of six connect breeders and livestock investors, creating jobs and modernizing ranching in Senegal.

The Ziguinchor centre worked with 241 project holders in 2024.

Through these centres, supported by the ITC West Africa Competitiveness Support Programme – Senegal Component (PACAO-Senegal), simple ideas are transformed into bankable businesses. Young people become entrepreneurs who positively impact their communities. Djiby and Ousmane have seen their dreams come true. Now they plan to make full use of the knowledge gained from the Service Centres to take their businesses to the next level.

Distributed by APO Group on behalf of International Trade Centre.