Babacar Justin Mbengue, national delegate in charge of communications for the Gueum sa Bopp movement "the Jambaars," criticized Prime Minister Ousmane Sonko's promise to create 13 million jobs by 2050. For the opposition leader, this announcement is more of a communications exercise than a credible plan.

"Translated into figures, this represents 541,000 jobs per year from 2026," calculates Babacar Justin Mbengue, who underlines the scale of the challenge: "At this rate, we would have to mobilize the energy of an entire country every year to create a job for every young person of working age."

And for the opponent, this "announcement is cloaked in a veneer of voluntarism and populist discourse" presented as "an intergenerational contract".

For him, this statement "borders on an insult to the intelligence of the Senegalese", because "it is based on vague hypotheses and an almost magical optimism rather than on concrete and credible strategies".

The national communications delegate for Bougane Guèye's political party denounced the Prime Minister's use of "vague terms": "Training differently, promoting human capital, strengthening entrepreneurship, structuring the informal sector... These are all slogans that sound good on paper." But "without quantified measures, precise timetables, a detailed budget, and clearly defined responsibilities, [these promises] remain mere empty words."

Babacar Justin Mbengue reiterates the scale of the challenge: "Tripling the size of the economy in 30 years, absorbing a population that could reach 40 million inhabitants and creating more than half a million jobs each year would require a sustained and inclusive growth rate, massive investments, a radical reform of education and a profound transformation of the labor market."

However, he denounces, "Ousmane Sonko is content to mention conditions, without explaining how they will be implemented or with what means."

The opposition leader highlights the contradictions between the promises and the current situation in the country: "This promise from the PM seems disconnected from current reality: Senegal continues to face high structural unemployment, a dominant informal sector, insufficient financing for SMEs and a heavy bureaucracy."

In this context, he says, "announcing 13 million jobs is more of a communications exercise than a credible plan."

The national delegate concluded harshly: "Ousmane Sonko's economic show, while seemingly inspiring, lacks substance. Sonko transforms a concrete and urgent problem into a declaration of good intentions."

And he added ironically: "Unless a magic wand is used, these 13 million jobs risk remaining a figure on paper, a decoy intended to reassure rather than mobilize."

Babacar Justin Mbengue then advocates for a more pragmatic approach: "Senegal deserves better than a quantified dream without a strategy. It deserves a clear vision, concrete policies and realistic planning."