Consumer protection in Senegal

Under Loi n°2021-25 sur les prix et la protection du consommateur, a consumer can be a natural person or a legal person acting for non-professional needs. Suppliers should provide reliable information, display prices and issue truthful invoices. False invoices, fraud, counterfeit goods, unsafe products and breaches of price ceilings or floors can lead to enforcement action. Abusive contract terms and prohibited commercial practices are also covered. An agréée consumer association may defend collective interests, while the Conseil national de la Consommation mainly supports consultation and price dialogue and does not provide universal dispute resolution. The Ministère de l’Industrie et du Commerce, through the Direction du Commerce Intérieur (DCI), handles matters such as prices, invoices, product quality, counterfeit goods, fraud and market practices. Access and processing times vary by case and region. Keep the receipt or invoice, contract, warranty, payment proof, messages and photographs. Ordinary in-store purchases do not have a general cooling-off right on the evidence available. A remedy may instead depend on hidden defects, non-conformity, a contractual warranty or after-sales commitments. Digital purchases are governed in part by Loi n°2008-08 and its implementing rules. An online supplier should identify itself, provide contract information and give the consumer a durable record. The withdrawal period is seven working days, or three months when the required information was not provided. Exceptions include services that have started, personalized or perishable goods, and opened software or media. Raise the matter with the supplier first, then consider the DCI, an agréée consumer association or the courts. Personal-data complaints fall under the separate CDP framework. Sector-specific bodies handle several common problems. For telecoms and postal services, complain to the company first and then use the ARTP complaint platform; the complaint form records the consumer, region, commune, service, incident and evidence, and the toll-free number is 800 800 200. The Code des communications électroniques provides transparency, user-safety protections and complaint processing that can take up to 30 days. A mobile-money dispute may involve the telecom company, payment issuer, ARTP, BCEAO or OQSF, depending on the service. Payment institutions should respond within seven working days, while an assujetti credit institution has up to one month for its internal response. OQSF mediation is free; it requires a signed written request and evidence, normally gives an admissibility notice within one week and targets resolution within two months. Never share a PIN or one-time password, and alert the provider immediately about an unauthorized payment. For electricity, billing, connection, quality, outage and safety complaints, contact Senelec, the relevant independent power producer or rural concessionaire first, then CRSE where appropriate. CRSE publishes consumer guidance, association information and 2026 tariff grids by provider. Verification of electricity metering can take up to 10 days under the cited rules. Travel complaints depend on the booking, carrier and contract; the Ministry responsible for Tourism, the Direction de la Réglementation touristique and regional tourism services handle sector oversight, accreditation and inspection, but no unified national travel dispute service is evidenced. The ARP regulates pharmacies, medicines, vaccines, health products, laboratories and related advertising and market surveillance. Buy medicines through a licensed pharmacy and check expiry dates, packaging and authorization. Report suspected falsified or unsafe products to the pharmacy, ARP or health authority and, where appropriate, the police. Loi n°2023-06 criminalizes distance or online supply of falsified medical products, with five to ten years of imprisonment and a FCFA 500,000 to FCFA 10,000,000 fine. For fake online sellers, phishing, social-engineering attacks, counterfeit or expired goods, pyramid schemes and mobile-money scams, preserve chats, phone numbers, URLs, screenshots, receipts and transaction IDs. Secure the account, contact the provider and report cyber incidents to SNCSIRT. The Police nationale DSC accepts anonymous or identified online PSIC reports with tracking; a formal complaint can also be filed with the police, gendarmerie or prosecutor. Recovery of money is not guaranteed, so speed and complete evidence matter. Formal channels mainly use French, and local-language assistance may be needed.