Senegal appoints economist Ahmadou Al Aminou Lo as prime minister after Sonko dismissal

Senegalese President Bassirou Diomaye Faye has appointed former regional central bank official Ahmadou Al Aminou Lo as prime minister, days after dismissing Ousmane Sonko and dissolving the government. The move comes as the country faces a deep political crisis and mounting pressure over its public finances. It also follows months of tension between the president and his former mentor, who had been central to the governing project that brought them to power in 2024.

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A decree announcing the appointment said Lo had the expertise needed to help steer Senegal through its debt problems. He previously worked at the Central Bank of West African States, and the decree described him as someone who knows the "inner workings of the economy and finance". In his first statement after the appointment, Lo said Senegal was a "safe and viable country" and that the change was "not a change of direction but of method".

He also referred to the country's "difficult financial situation" and spoke of integrity, transparency and "economic and cultural sovereignty". The appointment follows Faye's decision on Friday to sack Sonko and dissolve the government after months of tensions. Senegal is labouring under a debt burden amounting to 132% of gross domestic product, according to the information provided in the decree and accompanying reporting.

When Faye and Sonko came to power in 2024, they accused the previous administration of hiding part of the debt, a dispute that contributed to the suspension of a $1.8 billion IMF aid programme agreed in 2023. The new appointment therefore comes at a moment when the government is trying to restore confidence while also managing a strained political relationship at the top of the state. The timing matters because Senegal's fiscal position is directly linked to its ability to secure external support and maintain policy credibility.

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Faye wants to discuss a new aid programme with the IMF, while Sonko has favoured a domestic, sovereigntist approach. That disagreement has become part of a wider struggle over the direction of reforms, the handling of debt and the pace of economic change. In that context, the choice of a former central banker suggests an effort to reassure markets and international lenders that economic management will remain a priority.

The broader political backdrop is also significant. Faye and Sonko's Pastef party won outright in the first round of the 2024 elections after campaigning on political reform, anti-corruption pledges and promises to revive the economy. Sonko had built a strong following among disaffected young voters, and Faye's rise was closely tied to his support.

Their split in recent months has therefore unsettled the governing camp and raised questions about how much of the original reform agenda can still be delivered. What happens next will depend on whether the new prime minister can stabilise the government and whether the president can rebuild a working majority around his economic agenda. Senegal's parliament is due to decide on Tuesday whether to appoint Sonko as speaker, a move the opposition has likened to a coup.

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