Senegal partners with Meta to step up the fight against cybercrime 🇸🇳 🛡️

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As digital crime continues to rise, Senegal’s National Police is partnering with Meta, the parent company of Facebook, WhatsApp and Instagram. The goal is to improve online investigations, strengthen the protection of minors and modernize law-enforcement capabilities in cyberspace.

Tackling online offenses 🕵️‍♂️

Abdoul Wahabou Sall, deputy director-general of Senegal’s National Police, recently welcomed a delegation from Meta Platforms. The meeting focused on defining new areas of operational cooperation between Senegalese law enforcement and the US-based social media giant.

Discussions centered in particular on protecting young users and minors across digital platforms, as well as improving how reports and judicial requests are handled. Meta also reiterated its willingness to support the police through capacity-building programs and technical training.

The partnership is expected to benefit the Special Division for the Fight Against Cybercrime. In practical terms, training sessions are planned to help officers learn how to use Meta’s dedicated law-enforcement portal. The tool streamlines official requests and facilitates access to data required for criminal investigations.

Responding to rising digital threats ⚠️

The initiative comes at a time when cybercrime is on the rise in Senegal. Authorities report an increase in online scams, digital harassment and the spread of illegal content. Public institutions themselves have also been targeted in recent months.

In October 2025, the country’s tax platform was hacked. More recently, in early February 2026, the Department of File Automation — responsible in part for national ID cards and passports — suffered a cyberattack that temporarily halted the production of national identity cards.

Against this backdrop, cooperation with major digital platforms is increasingly seen as a strategic move. Such partnerships can help identify offenders more quickly and accelerate the handling of reports. They also allow investigative methods to evolve in response to a digital environment that is becoming central to everyday life.

Facing the cybersecurity challenge 🛡️

Despite these efforts, Senegal still faces structural challenges in cybersecurity. In its Global Cybersecurity Index 2024, the International Telecommunication Union gave the country a score of 67.17 out of 100. This places Senegal in the Tier 3 category — countries that have taken significant steps but still have partial cybersecurity frameworks.

Since that assessment, however, the government has announced a “New Technological Deal”, backed by a $1.7 billion investment plan. The initiative aims to transform Senegal into a regional tech hub by 2034 while strengthening national cyber-resilience and digital sovereignty.

For Senegal’s National Police, the partnership with Meta marks another step toward adapting law-enforcement strategies to the realities of cyberspace. The remaining question is whether these collaborations — combined with major investments — will be enough to keep pace with the growing scale of digital threats.

👉🏾 Do you think that cooperation between states and major platforms such as Meta is the key to effectively combating cybercrime in Africa?