Youth funding up 266%, Sport funding cut by 12.2 billion... The ministry's detailed response after the setback in the National Assembly

Having been rejected by the National Assembly committee, the Ministry of Youth and Sports is counter-attacking with figures. Faced with an overall 9% decrease in its budget—mainly due to a 40% drop in funding allocated to sports following the exceptional expenses of the Youth Olympic Games—the department is highlighting a spectacular 266% increase in the budget dedicated to youth and warning against blocking key projects.

The rejection of the Ministry of Youth and Sports' 2027 budget proposal by the National Assembly committee has not gone unnoticed. While this decision has raised questions, the ministry is stepping up to defend its budgetary choices and demonstrate that, despite the overall budget cuts, youth remains a priority.

To bolster its argument, the ministry highlights a significant increase in resources allocated to youth. From 2.6 billion FCFA in 2026, this budget is expected to reach 9.7 billion FCFA in 2027, representing a 266% increase. According to the ministry, this rise should allow for a shift from rhetoric to concrete action. Supporting young project leaders and promoting entrepreneurship are among the main priorities. The strengthening of the Senegalese Youth Advisory Council, extending its reach to the various localities across the country, is also announced. Another promise is to reactivate the Youth and Citizenship Centers. These centers, which the ministry states it found dormant, are slated to be revived to provide young people with spaces for training, work, and expression in the departments.

Sport loses 12.2 billion FCFA

However, it is the sports component that has seen the sharpest decline. Its budget has fallen from 30.8 billion to 18.6 billion FCFA, a decrease of 40%. This contraction weighs heavily on the ministry's overall budget, which has decreased by 9% between 2026 and 2027. The ministry offers an explanation: the end of exceptional expenditures incurred for the organization of the Youth Olympic Games (YOG). In other words, the funds allocated to this event will no longer be needed to the same extent.

But the authorities assure that sport will not be neglected. They announce, in particular, the continuation of investments in local infrastructure, the resumption of stalled regional stadium construction projects, and the development of school and university sports through the Union of School and University Sports Associations (UASSU). Administration is also included in this new program. The budget allocated to management is increasing by 27%. This increase is intended to modernize the ministry's services and improve their operation for the benefit of young people and sports stakeholders.

For the ministry, it would therefore be misleading to focus solely on the 9% reduction in the overall budget. According to them, this decrease masks choices that prioritize youth-oriented policies and the modernization of the administration, following the exceptional investments made for the Youth Olympic Games. The department believes that freezing this budget could delay several projects eagerly awaited by young people, including access to entrepreneurship support programs, the renovation of sports infrastructure, and the revitalization of Youth and Citizenship Centers.

In this battle of figures, one question remains: will these new funds truly meet the expectations of young Senegalese people? Because between the billions announced and the achievements on the ground, it is ultimately the effectiveness of public spending that will be judged.