Senegal has announced a strategic partnership with Alibaba Cloud to deliver a secure, high-performance cloud infrastructure for the upcoming Youth Olympic Games (JOJ) Dakar 2026.
With an initial investment of $5 million, this collaboration marks a major milestone in advancing Senegal’s digital ambitions and aligns with the national vision for technological sovereignty championed by President Brice Clotaire Oligui Nguema. The partnership also follows Prime Minister Ousmane Sonko’s recent visit to China in June 2025, highlighting the strengthening of Senegal-China tech ties.
This initiative is central to Senegal’s broader digital strategy, built around three core pillars. First, it aims to develop local cloud infrastructure through Alibaba Cloud’s Apsara Stack, a hybrid cloud solution designed to meet international standards while ensuring Senegal retains control of its data. Second, the project emphasises inclusion and skills development, pledging to train 200 local cloud engineers and establish a Technology Excellence Centre in partnership with Senegal Digital SA (SENUM) and local private sector players. Third, the JOJ 2026 will serve as a catalyst for innovation, enabling deployment of advanced digital services such as ticketing, e-transportation, and real-time broadcasting solutions. It also offers a platform for Senegal’s vibrant startup ecosystem to create and deploy local applications tailored to the Games’ needs and broader societal benefits.
Beyond the event itself, the partnership envisions a sustainable digital future for Senegal. It includes a post-event transition plan to establish a national public cloud infrastructure, serving as a foundational digital resource for both public and private sectors across Senegal and the West African region. The collaboration features a dedicated technical support team based in Dakar, combining Alibaba’s global expertise with local talent, and aims to train 1,000 young Senegalese professionals through Alibaba Cloud Academy.
This alliance promises to accelerate Senegal’s digital transformation, creating skilled jobs, improving public services, and laying the groundwork for a resilient, sovereign digital economy. It fosters local expertise, enhances data sovereignty, and sets the stage for future innovation that will benefit generations of Senegalese citizens.
