Research and innovation are at the heart of SEN'EAU's vision. It is in this sense that the company in charge of the production, distribution and management of water in urban and peri-urban areas in Senegal has set up a center of excellence and innovation whose official inauguration ceremony took place this Tuesday, October 21, 2025. The meeting, which was held on the sidelines of the celebration of SEN'EAU's 5 years of commitment and transformation in the service of water, was chaired by the Minister of Hydraulics and Sanitation, Dr. Cheikh Tidiane Dièye, in the presence of his colleague Mr. Amadou Moustapha Ndieck Sarré, Minister of Employment and Vocational and Technical Training; the Director of the Suez Africa Office, Mr. François Doussin; the Managing Director of SEN'EAU, Mr. Magatte Niang; the Chairman of the Board of Directors, Mr. Abdou Diouf; among others.

“A place that aims to provide skills, knowledge and experiences”

The SEN'EAU Center of Excellence and Innovation, located opposite the EMG building on Route du Front de Terre in Dakar, is a gem in more ways than one. It offers its residents every convenience. Funded entirely by the Suez Group, this center includes a plumbing workshop, state-of-the-art training and innovation rooms. Its inauguration reached its first milestone in 2021 with the establishment of the first "Cap canalisateurs" diploma course, in partnership with the Sectoral Center for Vocational Training in Construction and Public Works and the Vocational and Technical Training Financing Fund (3FPT).

The mission and objectives of this center of excellence and innovation are: to design innovative solutions applicable in the water sector; based on partnerships with the SUEZ group, universities, start-ups, etc.; to establish a collaborative culture of creativity, innovation and operational excellence with employees and all water stakeholders.

According to Mr. Ndiaya Diop, Director of Communications and Public Relations at SEN'EAU, this center is a place that aims to provide skills, knowledge, and experience. "Here, SEN'EAU wants to continue to train, I would say format, the sector's players so that they are up to the challenges and issues because our countries need it to be among the developed nations," he said.

Excellence for Senegal, a benchmark for Africa

In celebrating this major milestone in SEN'EAU's commitment to innovation and performance, the CEO stated that this center illustrates his company's vision of being a benchmark for excellence in Senegal and a benchmark in Africa. "The center we are inaugurating today illustrates our vision of being a benchmark for excellence in Senegal and a benchmark in Africa. Open to all stakeholders in the water sector, in partnership with universities and the Suez Group for research and development, open to Africa through the African Water and Sanitation Association, this campus will be a place of exchange and meetings for the world of science, associations, startups, and business. Our ambition is to make it a training and innovation hub to develop the skills of water stakeholders in Senegal and Africa, and to identify, test, and disseminate innovative solutions to improve technical, operational, and environmental performance," Magatte Niang emphasized.

He adds: "Initial training is at the heart of the Center of Excellence's projects, with the creation of diploma programs such as the CAP canalisateur (CAP in pipe installation), which is in its third year. These young people are trained in the professions of installing and maintaining drinking water networks. They receive free training and receive scholarships. They alternate between theory and practice to promote effective integration into the company. The first class of 30 plumbers has been fully recruited by SEN'EAU. The second class has just completed its cycle, and the HR department is currently assessing recruitment needs. As a priority, all young women will be recruited."

In 2026, the CEO of SEN'EAU announced that it plans to launch, with the CFPT Senegal-Japan, a BTS (Higher National Diploma in Electromechanics). The company also plans to train senior technicians specializing in the operation and maintenance of hydraulic and electromechanical equipment to meet the sector's growing need for high-level skills.

Here, continuing training is currently provided for the harmonization of good practices and support for transformation with technical modules (hydraulics, electromechanics, water quality), cross-functional modules (management, leadership, communication, QSE, ethics).

“We want to be the favorite company of Senegalese people by 2029”

Having resolved the issue of water distribution and availability in all areas, particularly in Dakar, SEN'EAU's ambition is to be the preferred public service company of the Senegalese people by 2029. "After having put in place, with SONES and our technical partner Suez, the technical foundations to meet the challenges of access to drinking water throughout the leased area, we still have to take on the challenge of service excellence to meet the expectations and requirements of all our customers. On the phone, in agencies, in the field, on social media, and across all our communication channels, we must feel the spirit of Senegalese Téranga and our professionalism at every stage of our relationship with customers. Our ambition is to be the preferred company of the Senegalese people by 2029. It's a bold challenge, but we will succeed," Magatte Niang said.

5 years of commitment and transformation in the service of water

SEN'EAU, since taking office on January 1, 2020, has been working meticulously, meticulously and calmly to spare no effort in its quest to transform the tools, water professions, production methods, distribution and customer management of the public drinking water service across the entire leased area.

Finally, the Director General of SEN'EAU reassured the supervisory authority that, thanks to the trusting partnership between the State of Senegal and SONES, his company is available and open to supporting the State in its major projects outlined in Vision Senegal 2050, to "reduce inequalities in equitable access to drinking water and sanitation for all."

“This center of excellence and innovation represents a major milestone in the transformation of the water sector in Senegal.”

The Minister of Hydraulics and Sanitation, in his opening remarks, stated that the opening of this SEN'EAU center of excellence and innovation represents a major milestone in the transformation of the water sector in Senegal. "It demonstrates the State's constant commitment to a fruitful and win-win public-private partnership. It also embodies the success of the public-private partnership in the water sector," emphasized Dr. Cheikh Tidiane Dièye, who added that this center could thus be a driving force for skills transfer and the emergence of Senegalese and African talent.

The supervisory authority took the opportunity to congratulate the general managers of SEN'EAU and SONES and to acknowledge the good collaboration between them and the technical partner SUEZ chosen by the State to address the many technical challenges of access to drinking water in the urban and peri-urban areas. It also asked them to "continue to improve the public drinking water service everywhere for the full satisfaction of the population."

Commitment to supporting the center in its mission and in achieving its objectives

The Minister of Employment and Vocational and Technical Training, for his part, wished to congratulate the supervisory authority and the general management of SEN'EAU for this fine exemplary initiative to be part of "the national dynamic of promoting human capital and strengthening technical skills in the service of sustainable development."

According to Amadou Moustapha Ndieck Sarré, the inauguration of this jewel is an initiative that perfectly illustrates the new dynamic instilled by the highest authorities of the State to make vocational and technical training a powerful lever for economic and social transformation.

As Minister of Employment and Vocational and Technical Training, Amadou Moustapha Ndieck Sarré is committed to supporting the center in its mission and in achieving its objectives.

The celebration was also attended by the President of the High Council for Social Dialogue, the Special Advisor to the President of the Republic in charge of water and sanitation issues, the Technical Advisor to the Prime Minister in charge of water, sanitation and environment issues, the mayors of the municipalities of HLM and Hann-Bel Air; the Directors General of SONES, ONAS and OFOR, the Directors General of 3FPT and the Sectoral Center for Vocational Training - Buildings and Public Works (CSFP-BTP); partners of SEN'EAU; representatives of consumer associations, the President of the Senegalese Network of Journalists Specialized in Water and Sanitation (RESJOSEA), Mr. Cheikhou Aïdara; among others.