Energy, health, transport: Egyptian companies on the offensive on the Senegalese market

President Bassirou Diomaye Faye’s trip to El-Alamein gave rise to several discussions with leaders of Egyptian businesses and institutions.

Air transport, renewable energies, banking, health, industry and housing are among the sectors concerned by the projects presented to the Head of State, with a view to a strengthened economic partnership between Dakar and Cairo.

Senegal and Egypt intend to give new impetus to their economic relations. During his stay in El-Alamein, from October 2 to 4, 2026, the President of the Republic, Bassirou Diomaye Faye, met with his Egyptian counterpart, Abdel Fattah Al-Sissi, and received six leaders of Egyptian businesses and institutions.

These meetings made it possible to address several projects in sectors considered promising for the Senegalese economy, notably air transport, renewable energies, banking services, health, industry and services.

During his meeting with the Egyptian president, Bassirou Diomaye Faye expressed the wish to see bilateral cooperation take on a greater economic and commercial dimension, with increased involvement of the private sectors of both countries. In particular, he invited Egyptian companies to invest in Senegal in agriculture, aquaculture, industry, health, housing and hotels.

Air transport to bring the two economies closer together

Air transport is among the sectors discussed during the presidential hearings.

Air Cairo CEO Hussein Sherif Fahmi presented the prospects for resuming a direct route between Cairo and Dakar. The company had operated a route between the two capitals from December 2023 to August 2024, with a technical stopover.

Air Cairo also says it is ready to support Air Senegal in the training of its engineers, mechanics and cabin crew. The development of a cargo link is also among the avenues mentioned to support trade between the two countries.

The company’s manager considers Senegal as a potential hub, given its geographical position between Africa, Europe and the Americas.

The resumption of a direct link and the development of goods transport could thus help to facilitate professional travel and economic exchanges. The press kit, however, presents these elements as perspectives supported by the company, and not as already operational connections.

Renewable energies, a gigawatt potential

The energy sector constitutes another axis of cooperation.

Mohamed Ismail Mansour, founder and CEO of the Infinity group, presented the group’s investment prospects in Senegal. Through Infinity Power, its joint venture with the Emirati company Masdar, the group operates in solar, wind and battery storage.

Infinity already operates the Taïba Ndiaye wind farm. The group is considering new investments in wind and solar power in Senegal, for an announced capacity of one gigawatt.

The realization of this perspective could strengthen the place of renewable energies in the national energy system. However, the press kit does not specify either the timetable for making these investments or their financial amount.

Banking and health among the projects presented

The planned cooperation also concerns financial services and health infrastructure.

The president of the National Bank of Egypt, Mohamed Mahmoud El Etreby, expressed his establishment’s interest in a banking and commercial partnership with Senegal. The establishment of an Egyptian bank in the country is being studied in order to facilitate transactions between entrepreneurs from the two economies.

In the health sector, the general director of Safe Call Bank, Hisham Issa, presented a project for a stem cell therapeutic center in Dakar. The announced investment amounts to ten million dollars, or approximately 5.66 billion CFA francs according to the press kit. The planned establishment would be intended to accommodate patients from several West African countries, particularly for the treatment of degenerative diseases.

The document presents this center as a planned project. It does not specify a start timetable for the work or an opening date.

Industry, electronic finance and housing

The Siltal Africa group, led by Hatem Raslan, is also present in the Senegalese industrial landscape. The company launched a refrigerator and air conditioner production plant in 2025, at the Diamniadio industrial park, for an announced investment of ten million dollars.

According to the press kit, the factory should be inaugurated soon. Its leader also presented new projects intended to support the Senegal 2050 National Transformation Agenda.

For his part, Khaled Mikati, president of the Senegal-Egypt Business Council, presented several avenues of cooperation relating to equipping hospitals with medical imaging devices, innovations in cancer treatment, an electronic finance solution for tax collection and payment management, as well as the construction of low-cost ecological housing.

These projects cover different needs, ranging from the modernization of public services to the improvement of sanitary equipment and the development of housing solutions. However, their level of progress and their financing arrangements are not detailed in the document.

Towards more structured economic cooperation

Beyond sectoral projects, the two heads of state discussed the opening of direct air and sea connections as a lever for increasing trade. This perspective is in addition to initiatives intended to facilitate commercial transactions and encourage cross-investments.

Senegal and Egypt also recalled the convergence of their positions within the African Union, the Organization of Islamic Cooperation and the United Nations, particularly on multilateralism, respect for international law and the Palestinian question.

On an economic level, the challenge will consist of transforming the intentions expressed during the hearings into formalized partnerships, mobilized financing and executed projects.

The prospects mentioned in air transport, renewable energies, banking, health and industry demonstrate the diversity of the areas in which Dakar and Cairo wish to deepen their cooperation. Their realization will make it possible to measure the economic scope of this bilateral rapprochement.

CG DIOP