Cimenterie : L’ancien DG de la SOCOCIM met en garde contre une levée des exonérations fiscales
Invited to RFM's "Grand Jury" program on Sunday, April 12, 2026, Youga Sow commented on the government's intention, expressed by Prime Minister Ousmane Sonko on March 12, to lift certain tax breaks included in mining and oil contracts. While acknowledging the state's legitimacy to revise these agreements, the former head of the Société Commerciale du Ciment (SOCOCIM) nevertheless urged caution. "The state is sovereign, but a balance must be maintained so as not to disrupt the momentum of investment," he stated.
Regarding the specific case of cement plants, he believes that tax advantages have a direct impact on prices and consumers. "Exemptions help keep prices low. Without them, prices would automatically increase," he emphasizes.
The managing director of the business strategy firm Advise Africa goes further by quantifying their economic impact. "We're talking about approximately 100 billion CFA francs per year in benefits which, in reality, translate into savings for consumers," notes Youga Sow.
According to him, a sudden overhaul of these systems would have immediate consequences for the market. He points out that Senegal has the lowest cement prices in Africa.
"If we remove these exemptions, manufacturers will reduce their production and prices will increase due to supply pressure," warns Mr. Sow.
Lifting tax exemptions will, he continues, "put pressure on an already strained market and could create relative shortages and speculative price increases." For him, the issue should not be addressed solely from a fiscal perspective. "We must avoid a purely fiscal approach. The stakes are the stability of the sector and consumer protection," argues Youga Sow.
The latter, a former official at the Ministry of Mines, advocates for a long-term industrial vision based on local processing. "The real solution is to create value here, not just tax raw materials," he concludes.
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