Housing crisis in Senegal: 500,000 homes short as government unveils its strategy

Senegal faces a housing deficit of about 500,000 homes, Territorial Communities Minister Moussa Bala Fofana said at the opening of the sixth International Housing Fair. Held under the theme “Sovereign Housing: Sunu Dëkuway,” the three-day event brings together public and private sector participants to address the housing shortage, rising rents and the need for homes within Senegalese households’ budgets. In Dakar, more than half of households are reportedly renters, and the minister warned that continuing rent increases could undo measures to lower the cost of living. The government plans to tackle the crisis with a strategy to make housing more accessible.