Senegal ARTP Director General: New Leadership Appointed
Senegal ARTP Director General Appointed: Cheikh Tidiane Sarr Takes Over the Telecom Regulator
Country: Senegal Authority: Autorité de Régulation des Télécommunications et des Postes (ARTP) Scope of update: Institutional leadership change. No amendment to type approval procedures, technical standards or fees. Legal instrument: Decree No. 2026-1605 of 10 September 2026
On 10 September 2026, the Presidency of the Republic of Senegal announced that President Bassirou Diomaye Diakhar Faye had appointed Cheikh Tidiane Sarr as Director General of the ARTP, the authority that regulates telecommunications and postal services and approves radio and terminal equipment for the Senegalese market. He succeeds Dahirou Thiam, who had led the regulator since May 2024.
New Senegal ARTP Director General: Key Facts
The appointment was made by Decree No. 2026-1605, signed on 10 September 2026 and announced the same day in a communiqué from the Minister, Secretary General of the Presidency, Oumar Samba Ba.
Unlike a standard discretionary nomination, the post was filled through an open call for applications:
The call for applications was launched on 17 July 2026.
Applications were reviewed by a Selection Committee chaired by the Director General of the Bureau Organisation et Méthodes (BOM). The committee included the President of the ARTP College, representatives of the Presidency, the Prime Minister's Office and the Ministry of Telecommunications and Digital Affairs, and expert advisers.
The committee transmitted its report to the Head of State on 24 August 2026.
The Presidency describes the new Director General as an engineer in industrial engineering and telecommunications systems, and a manager specialised in the digital sector and regulated financial services.
Who Is Cheikh Tidiane Sarr?
Mr. Sarr brings more than 20 years of operator-side experience, built almost entirely within the Sonatel and Orange group:
Engineering graduate of the École Hassania des Travaux Publics (Morocco), 2003.
Began his career at Sonatel Multimédia in systems, network and security administration, later heading systems, IP and security engineering.
Head of Marketing for Orange Money in Senegal (2015 to 2016).
Director of marketing, communication and Orange Money at Orange Bissau (2016 to 2020).
Chief of Staff to the Director General of Sonatel (2020 to 2021).
Director General of Orange Finances Mobiles Sénégal (2021 to 2024).
Director of Strategy and Transformation, Sonatel Group (from 2024).
His background combines network engineering with mobile financial services, which suggests a regulator attentive to both infrastructure quality and the convergence of telecom and digital finance.
Regulatory Context
The ARTP is responsible for licensing, spectrum management, competition and quality of service oversight, and the prior approval (agrément) of terminal and radio equipment placed on the Senegalese market. Equipment approval conditions derive from the electronic communications framework and ARTP decisions, including Decision No. 2004-002 of 28 April 2004 on the approval of terminal equipment and radio installations.
Two elements of recent ARTP activity matter for device manufacturers:
Market surveillance. In April 2025, the ARTP set up a committee with Customs, the National Police, ASPIT and the Senegalese standards body (ASN) to combat non-approved and counterfeit radio equipment.
Sector priorities. National commentary on the appointment highlights nationwide broadband coverage, competition (notably in fibre), consumer protection and cybersecurity as the main files awaiting the new Director General.
What This Means for Manufacturers
Nothing changes in the procedure today. A change of Director General does not amend the legal framework. The ARTP type approval requirement, the application process, accepted test reports and applicable fees remain as they were before 10 September 2026.
Existing approvals remain valid. Certificates issued under the previous Director General keep their legal effect. No re-certification or re-filing is required.
Expect a new signatory. Approval decisions are issued under the Director General's authority, so new certificates and official correspondence should carry Mr. Sarr's name once the handover is complete.
Allow for transition timing. As with any leadership handover, applications awaiting final signature may experience short delays. This is a practical observation, not an announced measure.
Watch the policy direction. A Director General selected through a competitive process and coming from the operator side may set new priorities. Enforcement against non-approved equipment, already reinforced in 2025, is the area most likely to affect importers and distributors.
Certification Impact Summary
Area | Impact of the appointment | Status |
Type approval requirement (agrément ARTP) | None | Mandatory, unchanged |
Application procedure and documentation | None | Unchanged |
Technical standards and accepted test reports | None | Unchanged |
Fees | None | Unchanged |
Validity of existing certificates | None | Remain valid |
Certificate signatory | New Director General | Changes after handover |
Processing times | Possible short delays during transition | Monitor |
Market surveillance and enforcement | Possible reinforcement under new leadership | Monitor |
New regulations or consultations | None announced | Monitor |
Timeline and Required Actions
Timeline
Date | Milestone |
May 2024 | Dahirou Thiam takes office as ARTP Director General |
10 April 2025 | ARTP launches committee against non-approved and counterfeit radio equipment |
17 July 2026 | Call for applications opened for the post of Director General |
24 August 2026 | Selection Committee transmits its report to the President |
10 September 2026 | Decree No. 2026-1605 signed; Presidency announces the appointment of Cheikh Tidiane Sarr |
To be confirmed | Formal handover ceremony and first policy orientations of the new Director General |
Required actions
Action | Who | When |
Continue filing ARTP type approval applications under the current procedure | Manufacturers, importers | Ongoing |
Update regulatory records and contact lists with the new Director General | Compliance teams | Immediately |
Confirm the status of applications pending signature with your local representative or consultant | Applicants with open files | Within the next few weeks |
Verify that every radio and terminal product sold in Senegal holds a valid ARTP approval | Manufacturers, distributors | Q4 2026 |
Monitor ARTP decisions, consultations and public statements for changes in priorities | Compliance teams | Ongoing |
Conclusion
The appointment of a new Senegal ARTP Director General is an institutional change rather than a regulatory one. Market access requirements for telecom and radio equipment remain in force as before, and no action is needed on existing certificates. The practical task for manufacturers is to keep records current, track pending applications through the transition and follow the regulator's first decisions under Mr. Sarr.
