Established in 1970, La Société Sénégalaise de Presse et de Publications (SSPP) is the state-owned publishing house responsible for issuing the daily newspaper Le Soleil. This flagship outlet is the direct successor to Paris-Dakar, a newspaper founded in 1933 by French journalist Charles de Breteuil during the colonial period.
Media assets
Publishing: Le Soleil
State Media Matrix
Captured Public/State-Managed or State-Owned (CaPu)
Ownership and governance
Initially incorporated as a limited liability company, SSPP underwent a major structural shift in 1983 when it was transformed into a publicly owned enterprise. Today, the Government of Senegal holds the controlling stake in the company, with several public institutions and parastatal bodies retaining minor shareholdings. SSPP operates under the administrative supervision of the Ministry of Culture and Communication.
As of mid-2025, governance at SSPP remains a subject of scrutiny. The tenure of former Director General Yakham Mbaye—long criticized for mismanagement and antagonistic labor relations—ended in early June 2024 following escalating tensions. Staff had publicly accused Mbaye of abusive behavior, arbitrary salary cuts, and verbal harassment, leading to a significant erosion of internal morale and institutional credibility.
In June 2024, Lamine Niang was appointed Director General of Le Soleil with a mandate to usher in a new era of modernization. A seasoned manager with prior experience in public media reform, Niang committed to digitizing Le Soleil’s content operations and revamping its aging IT systems. His stated goal is to diversify revenue streams and enhance operational transparency while adapting to the challenges of a digital-first news environment. As of June 2025, these reforms are underway, though no official audit of their impact has yet been released.
On 26 March 2025, Mame Birame Wathie, formerly with Groupe Walfadjri, was appointed Chairman of the Board of Directors (PCA) of SSPP by President Bassirou Diomaye Faye. This new appointment signals a strategic refresh of the board at the national press house.
Source of funding and budget
SSPP’s revenue model is based on a hybrid structure comprising print sales, advertising income, and a recurring government subsidy. While the precise proportion of state funding in its total annual revenue remains opaque, there is no confirmed evidence that the subsidy constitutes the majority of SSPP’s income. However, local media observers interviewed for this report in May 2025 suggest that the company’s financial dependence on the state remains significant, particularly in light of declining newspaper sales and the slow pace of digital monetization.
Editorial independence
Concerns over editorial autonomy at Le Soleil persist. Interviews conducted with Senegalese media professionals and experts in April 2024 reveal a consensus: the newspaper’s editorial line is tightly aligned with government messaging. Critics argue that Le Soleil functions less as a watchdog and more as a mouthpiece for state interests.
These observations are consistent with earlier assessments by the Media Foundation for West Africa and more recent evaluations by Freedom House, which highlighted Le Soleil’s growing pro-Beijing editorial slant. The publication frequently reproduces content favorable to the Chinese government, a trend viewed by some as part of broader diplomatic and economic rapprochement between Dakar and Beijing.
Notably, there is no statutory guarantee or oversight framework in place to safeguard the editorial independence of Le Soleil. The absence of an external regulatory mechanism or public service charter further entrenches executive influence over its editorial line.
June 2025