Export licenses: Serigne Momar Sokhna challenges the 5,000 m² decree before the Supreme Court

The standoff is intensifying in Senegal's scrap metal sector. Serigne Momar Sokhna, president of Senegal's metal exporters, intends to take legal action against the conditions imposed on operators to conduct their business. At the heart of the dispute is the requirement for metal exporters to have a warehouse of at least 5,000 square meters.

According to Serigne Momar Sokhna, this provision represents a major obstacle for many stakeholders in the sector. He believes that this requirement, introduced between 2023 and 2024, contributes to hindering the activity of exporters and weakening an entire chain comprised of scrap metal dealers, transporters, and intermediaries.

Faced with this situation, the official announced that he would appeal to the Supreme Court to challenge the ministerial decree and question the requirement regarding the size of the storage facilities. He argued that the applicable rules must guarantee fair treatment for all licensed operators.

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The protest comes at a time when the sector is already experiencing a period of high tension. Of the 14 licensed scrap metal exporters, only three are currently operating, according to industry stakeholders.

Serigne Momar Sokhna thus denounces a system which, in his view, excludes some operators in favor of others and demands arbitration from the authorities.

This crisis is not new. In August 2025, exporters had already contacted President Bassirou Diomaye Faye to denounce the delays in renewing their export licenses, which had been submitted in June. They also requested clarification on the processing of their applications and the applicable regulatory framework.

For Serigne Momar Sokhna, the issue therefore goes beyond the mere question of the size of the warehouses. According to him, it is about enabling Senegalese operators to resume their activities normally within a clear, transparent, and equitable framework.

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The economic consequences of the blockade are also highlighted. Industry professionals believe that the slowdown in exports is resulting in significant losses for the sector and the national economy.

According to their estimates, the sector could generate between 30 and 40 million CFA francs every seven days, with more than 60 containers loaded and transported to the port of Dakar during that period. After several appeals to the Administration and the Executive branch, the matter has now taken a legal turn. Referring the case to the Supreme Court could thus open a new chapter in the conflict between exporters and the authorities regarding the conditions under which they operate.

For the operators concerned, the objective is clear: to have a requirement reviewed which they consider excessive and to obtain a regulatory framework allowing all license holders to work.

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