In a move set to reshape agricultural production in West Africa, Senegal and Türkiye have signed a strategic memorandum of understanding to establish a tractor assembly plant in Senegal. The agreement, concluded during Senegalese Prime Minister Ousmane Sonko’s official visit to Türkiye, marks a major step toward modernizing the region’s agriculture and reducing reliance on imported food.
The project—led by Türkiye’s Albayrak Group—will not only assemble tractors but also provide after-sales services, spare parts, and maintenance, while launching a vocational school specializing in modern farming techniques. It is expected to serve not only Senegal but the entire West African market, providing a significant boost to regional agricultural mechanization.
Following the outbreak of the Russia–Ukraine war, food security and self-sufficiency have emerged as pressing national security priorities for many nations, particularly in Africa. Like other countries on the continent, Senegal has identified agriculture as a strategic sector, prioritizing investments to ensure food sovereignty.
Albayrak Group—already prominent in Africa through port, construction, and transportation projects—met with the Senegalese delegation led by Prime Minister Sonko to finalize the agricultural initiative. The deal was signed in the presence of Senegal’s Ministers of Agriculture, Industry, and Trade, alongside Albayrak Group Chairman Ahmet Albayrak, Vice Chairman Nuri Albayrak, and Overseas Investments, Port and Construction Group President Yunus Yılmaz.
Prime Minister Sonko’s visit to Türkiye from August 7–11, 2024, followed high-level meetings in Ankara and his participation in the Senegal–Türkiye Business Forum in Istanbul. Over the weekend, he and his ministers held one-on-one talks with around 20 Turkish companies, exploring opportunities in defense, energy, finance, agriculture, and infrastructure under public–private partnership and build–operate–transfer models.
The trip came shortly after Senegalese President Bassirou Diomaye Faye’s state visit to Türkiye in late 2024 and was part of Dakar’s broader “Senegal 2050” strategy, which seeks to diversify alliances and secure major investment partners. Sonko arrived in Türkiye directly after an official visit to China, underscoring the country’s active diplomatic and economic outreach.
Albayrak Group is no stranger to large-scale African investments. In addition to operating ports in Somalia, Guinea, Gambia, the Republic of the Congo, and Equatorial Guinea, the group is active in construction, agriculture, public transport, and waste management.
Its agricultural subsidiaries, TÜMOSAN and Sukkar, rank among Türkiye’s largest industrial firms. TÜMOSAN holds the 388th spot in the Istanbul Chamber of Industry’s (ISO) “Top 500 Industrial Enterprises” list, while Sukkar features in the “Second 500” list—cementing Albayrak’s position as a major agricultural player.
Beyond Senegal, the company has launched agricultural projects in Guinea and plans to expand into Gambia, Sierra Leone, the Republic of the Congo, and Somalia. Working in collaboration with the African Development Bank, Albayrak has developed a production and service model designed to deliver on-the-ground solutions to Africa’s food security challenges.
With the Senegal tractor assembly project, the group aims to combine modern technology with local workforce training, positioning West Africa for a new era of agricultural self-reliance.
