On the occasion of the centenary of the former president of Senegal, Maitre Abdoulaye Wade, tributes continue to highlight the many facets of his political legacy.

For Abdoulaye Seck, administrator of the National Fund for the Promotion of Women's Entrepreneurship, the former head of state remains above all "the undisputed father of women's entrepreneurship" in Senegal.

According to him, while the various regimes that have succeeded one another at the head of the country have paid particular attention to the condition of women, it was under the presidency of Wade that female entrepreneurship was established as a true doctrine of economic development.

“From the very first hours of the change of power in 2000, President Wade believed in the economic potential of women. He considered them to be fully-fledged economic agents, capable of creating wealth, employment and making a lasting contribution to national development,” recalls Abdoulaye Seck.

This vision has notably resulted in major institutional reforms. One of the most significant remains the creation, in 2002, of the Ministry of Women's Entrepreneurship and Microcredit. A first in Senegal's history, which, according to Mr. Seck, demonstrated the political will of the Head of State to place women's economic empowerment at the heart of public policy.

He also recalls a statement made by Mr. Wade in 2006 during the presentation of the Guide for Women Entrepreneurs: "Women's entrepreneurship is a powerful tool for promoting women's creativity and an instrument for creating wealth and jobs. It constitutes a real development alternative for our country."

For Abdoulaye Seck, this conviction was based on a clear economic analysis. President Wade believed that unequal access to productive resources hindered growth and reduced productivity. Conversely, investments directed towards women produced positive effects on education, health, and household well-being.

During his tenure, several support mechanisms were established to facilitate women's access to financing, production equipment, and training. According to Mr. Seck, these initiatives fostered a gradual shift from subsistence entrepreneurship to a genuine market economy driven by women.

“This period marked a decisive turning point. Women began to gain easier access to capital and strengthen their capacities in wealth-creating sectors. The Senegalese model even sparked the interest of many African countries who came to draw inspiration from our experience,” he emphasizes.

Abdoulaye Seck also believes that the results are now visible. In the agri-food processing sector in particular, products made by women's groups now occupy a significant place in supermarkets and on international markets.

"The challenges of quality and quantity, which were at the heart of concerns in the early 2000s, have largely been met. Women now export their products to several countries while respecting the most demanding international standards," he says.

For the administrator of the National Fund for the Promotion of Women's Entrepreneurship, the main challenge now lies in conquering new markets. He specifically mentions the opportunities offered by the Senegalese market, the WAEMU, ECOWAS and the African Continental Free Trade Area (AfCFTA).

"The work done must now be consolidated by offensive market conquest strategies in order to maximize the benefits for women entrepreneurs and for the national economy," he recommends.

In his view, celebrating the 100th anniversary of Abdoulaye Wade also means celebrating "a historic step in the conquest of the economic freedom of Senegalese women", a legacy that continues to mark the entrepreneurial landscape of the country.