Business in Senegal

Senegal has a formal business system, but informal activity remains widespread. ANSD recorded 94,985 new NINEA registrations in 2025: 70.8% were individual persons, 15.0% legal entities, 7.4% occasional operators and 6.4% landowners. In commerce, individual enterprises accounted for 67.5% of registrations and legal entities for 28.2%. A 2016 RGE benchmark found that 97.0% of units were informal, but that historical figure does not represent the current business stock. The 2018–2024 ENDES cohort recorded 96.4% of businesses as created from scratch, with one-year survival of 86.6% and five-year survival of 53.8%. Access to finance was the main reported closure cause at 32.5%. APIX's Bureau de Création d'Entreprise, commonly called the BCE, provides a central formalization channel, although no single body manages the entire business life cycle. The core registration sequence generally includes a criminal-record extract or declaration on honour, a notarial act for companies, capital payment where applicable, registration of statutes, registration in the Registre du Commerce et du Crédit Mobilier (RCCM), issuance of the NINEA, declaration of establishment opening to the Labour Inspectorate and, for companies, publication of a legal notice. The BCE target is about 48 hours, and companies may take about 24 hours after the notary, capital payment and online submission; notary work, capital payment and sector permits are outside those targets, and delays can occur. An individual enterprise has one owner, no minimum capital and unlimited liability, so private assets may be exposed. The APIX guide lists a fee of 10,000 FCFA without a commercial name or 20,000 FCFA with one, two 2,000 FCFA stamps and a stated 48-hour period; these figures and periods should be confirmed before filing because the guide is from 2018. A foreign applicant generally provides a passport, a criminal-record extract from the country of origin issued within three months or a declaration, residence or establishment evidence and any sector documents. Under the APIX rule, a missing foreign criminal-record document may be submitted within 75 days after RCCM registration. The Entreprenant is a separate OHADA status for a natural person carrying out a civil, commercial, craft or agricultural activity. It uses a simple, fee-free declaration rather than RCCM registration, requires the activity number on invoices and a daily book kept for at least five years, and can lead to individual-enterprise obligations when the applicable turnover condition is exceeded for two consecutive years. Consulted Senegalese sources do not establish it as a standard local option, so its practical availability should be confirmed with APIX or the relevant authority. A SARL or SUARL is often suited to a small or medium formal venture. It requires one or more members, has no minimum capital under the APIX guide and generally limits liability to contributions, but it requires a notarial founding act. A SA or SAU is designed for larger capital structures and requires 10,000,000 FCFA of capital, with at least one quarter paid at formation and the balance within three years. It brings higher cost and governance complexity. An SAS or SASU offers more flexible governance but requires careful review of the statutes. An SNC exposes partners to unlimited and joint liability; in an SCS, general partners have unlimited and joint liability while limited partners are generally liable up to their contributions. These forms carry substantial personal-risk differences. A GIE requires at least two members and no minimum capital. It is intended to help members facilitate or develop their activities rather than serve primarily as an independent operating company. Members are jointly liable for GIE debts, and banks or commercial partners may view it as less creditworthy. Cooperatives follow the OHADA AUSCOOP framework and may be structured as a simplified cooperative or one with a board of directors. A foreign company may establish a succursale for two renewable years with authorization from the Ministry of Commerce. A representation or liaison office serves an existing company and should not be treated as an ordinary Senegalese operating company. NINEA registration alone does not replace RCCM registration, the tax existence declaration or a sector licence. The business must file its declaration of existence with the relevant Centre des services fiscaux within 20 days of registration under the APIX guide. Corporate income tax is stated at 30% of net profit. When a business makes a loss, the minimum flat tax is generally 0.5% of turnover, subject to exceptions. The annual corporate income tax return is due by 30 April of the following year under DGID guidance. The CGU regime is described in the APIX guide for commerce and services up to 50,000,000 FCFA turnover, but its current application must be checked against the current tax code. SENTAX becomes mandatory for DGE taxpayers from 1 September 2026. Operations follow OHADA accounting rules under AUDCIF and SYSCOHADA. Legal entities generally prepare annual financial statements, while merchants and individual businesses keep the books required for their status. The RCCM number belongs on business books, and changes, secondary establishments, branches and security interests need updating. Activities such as transport, tourism, restaurants, guarding, food production requiring an FRA authorization, and gold import or export can require separate approvals. Senegal's permit authority, timing and documents vary by activity, so registration should not be treated as a universal business licence. Business names, trademarks, patents, designs and geographical indications can be handled through ASPIT's national liaison with OAPI. SODAV deals with copyright and related rights. A business should also separate name registration, trademark protection and domain availability because one does not replace the others. DER/FJ supports women, young people and groups through formalization, technical assistance, training, project financing and monitoring. It has a presence in 14 regions, 46 departments and 552 communes. Access may run through Sénégal-services or financement.der.sn. The stated document threshold is a CNI and residence certificate for requests below 10,000,000 FCFA, with a business plan additionally required from 10,000,000 FCFA; calls and eligibility can change. ADEPME and SAMA PME support project holders, startups under three years, growing businesses and exporters through formalization, structuring, skills, financing access, innovation and market access, including online and regional services. The 2025 Investment Code and APIX can provide an approval process for eligible investments. The framework expands sectors, lowers investment thresholds and targets decisions within 10 working days, with stated fiscal and customs processing targets of about three days in Dakar and Thiès and five days in other regions. Approval is required and benefits are not automatic. Special regimes in ZES, ZAI or free zones may add separate conditions. A business can be transferred, transformed, merged, split, dissolved or liquidated under OHADA rules. Ending activity requires the relevant RCCM filing, such as temporary cessation or deregistration for an individual enterprise and cessation, dissolution, closure, finalization or transfer filings for a legal entity. Tax and social deregistration must also be completed. When a business cannot meet its obligations, OHADA AUPC procedures include conciliation, preventive settlement, judicial reorganization and liquidation of assets. These proceedings differ from ordinary banking services and should be handled through the competent court and qualified advisers.