ACBEP: Cheikh Issa Sall takes the reins and promises to "turn the page on projects that drag on forever"

After two years at the helm of the Agency for the Construction of Public Buildings and Structures (ACBEP), Biaye Niass handed over the reins to Cheikh Issa Sall on Thursday, October 2, 2026. The handover ceremony allowed the outgoing director to take stock of his term and his successor to present the main points of his roadmap.

In July 2024, ACBEP had a budget of 5.227 billion CFA francs, 68 staff members, and seven projects, two of which were underway. In 2026, the budget reached 8.717 billion CFA francs, of which 6.621 billion was allocated to investment. Staff numbers increased to 99, including 13 engineers and 22 technicians, senior technicians, and civil engineering staff.

The project portfolio has also expanded. Thirty-three contracts were awarded for 12.739 billion CFA francs, while 16 projects were inaugurated or completed. The number of ongoing projects increased from seven to 31, in addition to other operations for which work orders were issued.

The Agency has also begun its regional expansion by establishing local branches to facilitate project monitoring. Biaye Niass also emphasized the importance of strengthening project development, which he considers an essential prerequisite for the quality of public investments.

“The Agency has grown significantly over the past two years,” the outgoing director summarized. He nevertheless identified several challenges for the future: securing funding, accelerating project execution, strengthening internal controls, developing skills, and improving management tools.

Deadlines , costs and quality at the heart of the new stage

A lawyer by training and holder of a Master's degree in Finance and Public Management, Cheikh Issa Sall is also the mayor of Mbour. Before his appointment to ACBEP, he notably headed the Municipal Development Agency (ADM) and the Deposit and Consignment Fund (CDC), after having held several positions in general administration and within ministerial offices.

At the helm of ACBEP, he intends to make the Agency "a benchmark instrument of the State" in the development of public infrastructure. His roadmap emphasizes three major requirements: the quality of the works, adherence to deadlines, and cost control.

The new general manager wants in particular to turn the page on projects that drag on, by establishing more rigorous monitoring of projects and paying particular attention to cost overruns that he considers unjustified.

It also plans to further integrate climate and environmental requirements, promote local materials and expertise, and modernize working methods. ACBEP will also need to strengthen its relationships with government agencies and local authorities, and mobilize the skills of architects, engineers, companies, universities, and research centers.

Staff are expected to fully support this dynamic. Presented as "the driving force and primary asset of the Agency", all employees will have to contribute to consolidating achievements based on merit, skills and team spirit.

Upon leaving his post, Biaye Niass was keen to emphasize the collective nature of his record, stressing that the results achieved were not those of a single person, but rather of a committed team.

This handover opens a new chapter for ACBEP, marked by the expansion of its portfolio of activities and the desire of the new management to emphasize the monitoring of construction sites, the control of schedules and the overall quality of public infrastructure.

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