Elimane Pouye: 50 Astra 1 Appartements Rétrocédés Valued at 15 Billion FCFA

• Elimane Pouye testified before a parliamentary commission on October 8, 2026, regarding state property management.
• His tenure as SOGEPA Director General (May 2024-September 2026) involved securing state assets.
• The State recovered 50 apartments from the Astra 1 project, valued at over 15 billion FCFA, through renegotiation.
• Four office floors in the Dakar Towers, valued at nearly 15 billion FCFA, were also secured for the State.
• An audit of 19 emphyteutic leases revealed irregularities, leading to renegotiations that secured nearly 25 billion FCFA.

These concrete recuperations are part of a broader initiative that has seen over 25 billion FCFA in real estate assets either recovered, revalued, or renegotiated to the direct benefit of the Senegalese State.

On Thursday, October 8, 2026, a parliamentary inquiry commission in Dakar convened to hear testimony from Elimane Pouye regarding the management of the state's built heritage. Pouye, who previously served as the Director General of SOGEPA, provided crucial insights into ongoing efforts to reclaim and revalue public assets. His testimony highlighted significant successes, including the retrocession of 50 apartments associated with the Astra 1 project, which alone are valued at more than 15 billion FCFA.

Further illustrating the state's proactive approach to asset recovery, Pouye detailed a compromise reached with the company Acci concerning the Dakar Towers development. This agreement secured four office floors spread across the two primary towers for the State, representing assets estimated at nearly 15 billion FCFA. These concrete recuperations are part of a broader initiative that has seen over 25 billion FCFA in real estate assets either recovered, revalued, or renegotiated to the direct benefit of the Senegalese State.

Elimane Pouye's tenure as Director General of SOGEPA gestion patrimoine État spanned from May 2024 to September 2026, during which time his focus included assessing the condition of public real estate. Upon his arrival, he noted that the estimated inventory of approximately 2,200 state buildings, with nearly 1,600 located in Dakar, lacked sufficiently consolidated physical and legal documentation. This absence of robust records presented a significant challenge to effective patrimonial management.

In response to these deficiencies, SOGEPA undertook a concerted effort to enhance the security and completeness of land records. Since 2024, a total of 520 complete land files have been meticulously constituted and secured within the critical Dakar-Plateau perimeter. This foundational work laid the groundwork for the subsequent audits and renegotiations aimed at optimizing the state's real estate portfolio and ensuring proper governance of its assets.

A central component of the Commission d'enquête parlementaire Sénégal's inquiry, and a key area of SOGEPA's work under Pouye, involved the rigorous audit of 19 baux emphytéotiques irrégularités Sénégal. This review uncovered various irregularities, notably agreements that lacked genuine consideration for the State, effectively depriving the public treasury of equitable returns. The findings from these audits underscored the necessity for a comprehensive re-examination of existing public-private contracts.

As a direct result of these investigations, eight of the audited contracts underwent successful renegotiation, thereby securing nearly 25 billion FCFA for the State. Additionally, two other cases were reported to be nearing completion. Beyond renegotiations, actions taken included the suspension of certain contracts and the initiation of procedures for the annulment or termination of others. Specific sites mentioned in connection with these efforts included Steller Mermoz, Fan Résidence, the former Ministry of Education at Fleurs de Lys, and the Astra 1 project situated on the Corniche.

During his Elimane Pouye audition parlementaire, the former SOGEPA head also highlighted systemic issues within the management of state patrimonial data. He pointed to the absence of an exhaustive centralized database for state properties and significant delays in updating real rights with the Land Registry (Conservation foncière). These observations underscore the need for improved administrative processes to safeguard public assets.

To address these shortcomings and enhance transparency, Pouye put forth several recommendations. He advocated for the official publication of the General Table of State Built Properties (TPBE) and the comprehensive transmission of the exhaustive list of definitive cession decrees. These measures are designed to provide a clearer, more accessible overview of the state's real estate holdings, ensuring that the valorization or transfer of public property consistently yields tangible benefits and accountability for the Senegalese State.

This development signals increased scrutiny on state property contracts and highlights the potential for renegotiation or annulment of agreements deemed irregular or unfavorable to the State. Lawyers and compliance officers should review existing public-private contracts, particularly emphyteutic leases, for compliance and equitable terms to mitigate exposure to audits and potential asset recovery actions.

Source: Original reporting via Leral and Senego