Senegal opens 8th edition of SIPEN to advance data sovereignty and digital competitiveness
Date: 2025-10-24
The Minister of Communication, Telecommunications and Digital Affairs, Alioune Sall has officially opened the 8th Edition of the International Exhibition of Digital Economy Professionals (SIPEN), a flagship event dedicated to innovation and digital transformation in West Africa.
Held
under the theme “Mastering Our Data to
Build a Sovereign and Competitive Digital Future,” this year’s
edition comes at a pivotal moment marked by the launch of the New Technological Deal, a key pillar
of the Senegal 2050 Vision
championed by President Bassirou
Diomaye Diakhar Faye.
In
his opening address, the Minister Sall
emphasized the central role of data in shaping Senegal’s digital future,
stating, “Whoever masters our data, masters an essential part of our
present and our future.” He underscored that the mastery and protection of
data lie at the heart of the nation’s pursuit of digital sovereignty and
long-term economic resilience.
The
Minister outlined four strategic pillars driving Senegal’s digital sovereignty
agenda: the deployment of sovereign and resilient infrastructures such as data
centers and cybersecurity systems; the establishment of ethical and responsible
data governance frameworks; the economic valorization of data through
innovation, artificial intelligence, and research; and the creation of an
enabling policy environment led by a strategic and facilitative State.
He
noted that digital technology is no longer merely a tool but a critical lever for economic and political
independence, urging stakeholders to collaborate in building a
robust and inclusive digital ecosystem that safeguards national interests while
fostering competitiveness.
The
SIPEN 2025 exhibition brings together policymakers, industry leaders,
innovators, and digital professionals to discuss emerging technologies, data
governance, and strategies to strengthen Africa’s digital economy.
By:
Nana Appiah Acquaye
