Hardware Infrastructure

The potential for hardware manufacturing in Senegal started with the inauguration of Technopolis at Camberene (Dakar’s suburb) in 1999. Since January 2000, there is prospect for the building of a 2000 m2 PC-production facility. Capacity ranges from 300 to 600 units per day. This project’s name is West African Computers (Wac) and was initiated by a French company (“Ebc Informatique”), based in Strasbourg (France). A partnership with Hewlett Packard is envisioned, and the company has plans to open a subsidiary. However, it is a Canadian company (“Infoserve”) that penetrated the market in 2002 through a local company (“Touch Technology Corporation SA”). Infoserve will be the one to begin production of “customized” (Dell’s way) computers in Senegal. The company forecasted a total production of 5000 computers for the year 2002, to supply neighboring countries. According to the forecasts, the plant should produce 25,000 computers per year in its fifth year of operation. However, the success of this kind of project depends on the tariffs’ benefits the company can benefit from. So far, the government poses a higher tariff (25%) on locally produced hardware such as computers and telematics than on the imported goods (5%). I believe the Senegalese government should definitely revise its trading policy to encourage local production (i.e.: reduce the tariff) and simultaneously achieve a better balance of trade.