Senegal newspapers and online media

Senegal has a thriving French-language press: Le Soleil, Sud Quotidien, Walf Quotidien, Le Quotidien and EnQuête in print, Seneweb, Dakaractu and PressAfrik online, plus RTS, the APS agency and private radio stations with huge Wolof audiences.

From Paris-Dakar to media pluralism

The colonial daily Paris-Dakar, launched in 1933, became Dakar-Matin after independence in 1960, then Le Soleil in 1970. The 1980s saw an independent private press emerge, with Sud Hebdo, forerunner of Sud Quotidien, and Walfadjri, founded by Sidy Lamine Niasse.

Le Soleil, the national daily

Le Soleil, published by the Société sénégalaise de presse et de publications, remains the state daily. It carries official texts, major speeches and economic reports, and its website puts a large share of the print edition online for readers.

Dakar's leading private titles

Sud Quotidien, Walf Quotidien, Le Quotidien, EnQuête, L'Observateur and Libération fill Dakar's newsstands. Each group has its own outlook, from the analytical tone of Sud Quotidien to the court investigations of Libération, and their front pages feed radio press reviews.

Wolof, the language of radio

French is the official language and dominates print, but Wolof is spoken by a large majority of Senegalese. Every morning, Wolof press reviews on RFM, Sud FM or Zik FM translate the dailies' front pages for a very wide audience.

Why do Seneweb and Dakaractu matter?

Seneweb, Dakaractu, PressAfrik, Senego and Leral publish dozens of articles a day along with videos in Wolof. These sites are often first to relay a political statement or a crime story, well ahead of the next day's printed newspapers.

APS, the Senegalese press agency

The Agence de presse sénégalaise, created in 1959, sends dispatches from Dakar and its regional bureaux. Its reports on cabinet meetings, agriculture and the regions are picked up by every newsroom and provide a reliable basis for dates and appointments.

RTS and private television

Radiodiffusion Télévision Sénégalaise, or RTS, is the public broadcaster. Competing with it, TFM from Groupe Futurs Médias, Walf TV, Sen TV and 2STV offer news bulletins and debates in French and Wolof, many of them replayed on YouTube.

Saint-Louis, Ziguinchor and the regions

The daily press remains concentrated in Dakar, but community radio stations and local sites cover Saint-Louis, Thiès, Touba, Kaolack and Ziguinchor in Casamance. Regional correspondents for APS and RTS round out this local coverage across the country.

Following the Senegalese diaspora

Senegalese living abroad, numerous in France, Italy and Spain, follow Dakar news sites and stream radio stations. The French press and pan-African outlets based in Paris also report regularly on Senegalese political life and its main figures.

Wrestling, football and business

The sports daily Record follows the Lions of Teranga, winners of the 2022 Africa Cup of Nations, as well as Senegalese wrestling and its big bouts. Business news appears in the specialised pages of Le Soleil, Sud Quotidien and EnQuête.

Regulation and press freedom

The 2017 Press Code governs the profession, and the Conseil national de régulation de l'audiovisuel oversees radio and television. Mobile internet shutdowns and arrests of journalists were reported during the political tensions between 2021 and 2024.

Comparing with French-speaking neighbours

To cross-check, set Dakar media against the Malian press, the Mauritanian press or neighbouring Gambia. The African press page also brings together, in one place, the leading titles of French- and English-speaking West Africa.

How to read the Senegalese press from abroad

1. Pair a daily such as Le Soleil or Sud Quotidien with a fast site like Seneweb or Dakaractu.
2. Check APS dispatches to confirm dates, appointments and official decisions.
3. Listen to a morning press review in Wolof or French on RFM or Sud FM.
4. Watch the RTS news and a private channel's bulletin to compare angles.
5. Turn on alerts for Dakar, Casamance or the names of leading politicians.
6. Before sharing an article, check its date and the name of the newsroom publishing it.

Access and subscriptions in Senegal

Useful facts about Senegalese media

• Languages: French in print, Wolof on radio and television
• National agency: Agence de presse sénégalaise (APS)
• Public broadcaster: RTS
• State daily: Le Soleil; sports daily: Record
• Time zone: GMT, UTC+0, no daylight saving
• Currency: West African CFA franc (XOF)

Common traps in Senegalese news

• Sharing a screenshot of a supposed newspaper front page without checking that it actually appears in that day's edition.
• Mistaking a site with a name similar to a well-known title, or an unofficial Facebook page, for the outlet itself.
• Confusing the line of Le Soleil, the public daily, with that of private opposition or independent newspapers.
• Passing on articles from the 2024 election period as if they were recent news.
• Relying only on the clickbait headlines of news sites without reading the article or checking the source quoted.

Common questions about Senegalese newspapers