The Senegalese Government has reportedly restricted access to various online platforms and applications under the justification of combating illegal content, despite lacking a clear and legally defined interpretation of the term “illegal content.” From 1 to 4 June 2023, major platforms such as Facebook, Twitter, WhatsApp, Instagram, YouTube, and Telegram were rendered inaccessible during mass protests following the sentencing of opposition leader Ousmane Sonko. Subsequently, in August 2023, authorities imposed a ban on the social media platform TikTok, which, as of 2024, reportedly remains inaccessible in the country. Similar measures had been observed in previous years; notably, during the March 2021 protests in Dakar, the government blocked access to digital platforms including WhatsApp, Facebook, Telegram, and YouTube, and suspended the broadcast of television channels such as Sen TV and Walf TV.

The indicator "7.2.4 - Government Internet shut down in practice" of the V-Dem Dataset, which measures whether the government has the technical capacity to actively make internet service cease, thus interrupting domestic access to the internet or whether the government has decided to do so, has a score of 3 in Senegal for the year 2024. This corresponds to "Rarely but there have been a few occasions throughout the year when the government shut down domestic access to Internet."
In 2024, the Senegalese government reportedly implemented at least three internet shutdowns. One of the most notable occurred in February, when the government abruptly postponed the presidential elections originally scheduled for 25 February. In response to widespread protests, the Ministry of Communication, Telecommunication, and Digital Economy ordered the suspension of mobile data access, citing concerns over the spread of “hateful and subversive messages” on social media. This practice continued a pattern observed in 2023, when authorities shut down mobile internet in specific areas during periods of unrest, including in June and following the arrest of opposition leader Ousmane Sonko. Since August 2023, mobile data has reportedly been cut daily, typically from 8 a.m. to 2 a.m., indicating a sustained use of internet disruptions to manage political tensions.

It is reported that there is an obligation for passive infrastructure sharing in Senegal to deliver telecom services to end users. It is practised in both the mobile and fixed sectors based on commercial agreements.

It is reported that the Government holds a minority stake (27%) in Sonatel-Orange Senegal, the country's largest Internet and mobile communications provider.

It is reported that Senegal mandates functional and accounting separation for operators with significant market power (SMP) in the telecom market.

Senegal has appended the World Trade Organization (WTO) Telecom Reference Paper to its schedule of commitments.

Senegal has a telecommunications authority: The Telecommunications and Postal Regulatory Authority (ARTP). However, it is reported that this entity is not fully independent.

In 2021, state agencies in Senegal were reportedly mandated to transfer data in their possession to a government-established data centre located in Diamniadio. However, it was not until November 2023 that these agencies began actively transferring their data to the national storage facility.

According to Art. 49 of the Personal Data Act (Law No. 2008-12), data may only be transferred to a third country if that country ensures a sufficient level of protection for the privacy, freedoms, and fundamental rights of individuals, as assessed under Senegalese law. Additionally, under Arts. 50 and 51, local exporters may transfer data to a third country that does not guarantee an adequate level of protection, provided certain safeguards are in place, such as obtaining the consent of the data subject, or demonstrating the necessity of the transfer.

Senegal has not joined any free trade agreement committing to open transfers of cross-border data flows.

Law No. 2008-12 provides a comprehensive regime of data protection in Senegal. The Law provides an essential data protection framework, including requiring data processing notifications, setting out fundamental data subject rights, and regulating data transfers.

Senegal has ratified the World Intellectual Property Organization (WIPO) Performances and Phonograms Treaty.

Senegal does not have comprehensive trade secret legislation. Yet, there are provisions addressing disclosure, acquisition or use of confidential information in the course of industrial or commercial activities by third parties in Art. 6 of Annex VIII of the Bangui Agreement ratified by 17 French-speaking States, including Senegal, since 2002.

In accordance with Art. 52 of the Public Procurement Code, participation in public contracts is reserved for Senegalese and community companies that are regularly licensed (or exempted from licensing) and are registered in the trade register. An exception to this rule is made when the contracts concerned cannot be performed by Senegalese or community companies when the financial scale of the contract or its technical complexity makes it impossible to guarantee transparent competition due to the low level of local competition. In these two cases, foreign companies may bid for public contracts in Senegal. This restriction is found in Art. 52 of all decrees on the Public Procurement Code since September 2010, with the exceptions being added and modified subsequently.

According to Art. 50 of Decree No. 2022-2295, for contracts awarded on the basis of an international call for tenders, preference is given to candidates governed by Senegalese law or West African Economic and Monetary Union (WAEMU) member countries and to candidates whose bids include only products of Senegalese origin or from WAEMU member countries, over candidates governed by non-Community law, provided that their bids are not more than 15% higher than those of the lowest bidder.