The National Assembly of Senegal has officially received the revised Finance Bill (LFR) for 2026, ending days of uncertainty surrounding the budget calendar. The announcement, made in a press release this Friday, September 18, 2026, confirms that the text was formally submitted to the Assembly’s General Secretariat in the afternoon, accompanied by the presidential transmission letter and the decree authorizing its presentation to lawmakers.
Government under pressure after missing deadline
Prime Minister Ahmadou Al Aminou Lô had instructed the Minister of Economy, Finance, and Planning, Cheikh Diba, on September 10 during a Council of Ministers meeting to ensure the bill was transmitted to the National Assembly by September 15 at the latest. However, the deadline was missed, sparking controversy after Assembly President Ousmane Sonko publicly stated earlier on Friday that no notification of the text had been received. The Assembly’s confirmation of receipt, three days after the original deadline, clears the procedural hurdle but raises questions about the government’s adherence to set timelines.
Presidential decree triggers new budget procedure
The transmitted bill is accompanied by presidential decree n° 2026-1645, which mandates the Minister of Economy, Finance, and Planning to present the bill and defend its provisions before the Assembly. This decree supersedes an earlier one (n° 2026-1236 from June 29, 2026), indicating that the entire procedure had to be restarted. According to the decree, the ministers of Economy and Communication are tasked with ensuring its implementation, with the text slated for publication in the Official Gazette. The decree was signed in Dakar on September 18 by President Bassirou Diomaye Faye, counter-signed by the Prime Minister.
Path cleared for parliamentary scrutiny
With the revised budget bill now in the Assembly’s hands, the next step involves parliamentary examination—a closely watched process given Senegal’s ongoing public finance reforms and commitments to international partners. The government’s budget calendar also includes the examination of the 2027 initial finance bill in the Council of Ministers by the end of September, an objective that will now face heightened scrutiny following this delay.
