The Société nationale des habitations à loyer modéré (SN HLM) has launched a 64 billion FCFA real estate and urban development project across a 3.3-hectare site in Dakar’s Les Maristes neighborhood, anchored by a construction agreement with the Compagnie sahélienne d’entreprises (CSE). Announced during a formal launch ceremony, the initiative aims to reshape the capital's urban environment through the delivery of 658 apartments spread across 16 buildings, alongside commercial spaces, amenities, and green areas.
The SN HLM Doctrine and National Expertise
SN HLM Director General Abdourahmane Dabo framed the 3.3-hectare undertaking as a fundamental doctrinal shift for the public company during his address to board members, former directors, and partners. Rather than treating the development as a standard real estate transaction, Dabo positioned the 64 billion FCFA investment as a demonstration of domestic capability. “We do not simply lay the first stone of a real estate program. We lay an act of doctrine. We affirm a conviction. Yes, Senegal can build Senegal,” Dabo stated, according to Dakaractu Mbour.
Dabo emphasized that the project breaks away from historical reliance on foreign expertise for major, complex urban initiatives. To execute this vision, the SN HLM selected the Compagnie sahélienne d’entreprises, a historic player in the Senegalese and West African construction sectors established in 1970. Describing the choice as strategic and assumed rather than accidental, Dabo paid tribute to the firm’s legacy, calling the CSE an school and a Senegalese history designed to show youth and economic actors that local competence can successfully execute structural projects.
Did You Know? The Compagnie sahélienne d’entreprises (CSE) was established in 1970 around its founder and has progressively carved out its role in a construction sector historically marked by the presence of foreign firms.
Urban Modernization and the Vision for Les Maristes
Minister of Housing and Territorial Communities Balla Moussa Fofana connected the Les Maristes agreement to broader national goals during the launch event. Fofana noted that the project extends far beyond commercial and legal frameworks, serving as an instrument for urban renewal and modernization on a historical site that demands a fresh spatial vision. The integration of housing, commercial spaces, and equipment aligns directly with the orientations of Sénégal 2050, which targets national modernization, economic sovereignty, and living standard improvements.
Dabo added that future developments by the public firm will abandon past shortcomings by prioritizing quality living environments over sheer volume. “We will no longer build just to build. We will build a dignified, sustainable living framework with all amenities,” he noted, casting the Les Maristes program as a testing ground for this renewed public real estate doctrine.
Frequently Asked Questions
What is the total investment announced for the Les Maristes project?
The announced investment for the complex is 64 billion FCFA.
How large is the land area allocated for the development?
The real estate project occupies a land area of 3.3 hectares.
Which companies and government bodies are leading the initiative?
The project is led by the Société nationale des habitations à loyer modéré (SN HLM), headed by Director General Abdourahmane Dabo, in partnership with the Compagnie sahélienne d’entreprises (CSE).
How will this shift toward domestic contracting influence the broader trajectory of real estate development in Dakar’s upcoming urban zones?
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