Between a drastic drop in revenue and competition from social networks, traditional indicators are sounding the alarm.

In several localities in the Kédougou region, many traditional healers and fortune tellers are currently experiencing a particularly difficult period. Once in high demand for mystical consultations, marital problems, luck-seeking, or spiritual protection, some now report going several weeks without receiving a single client.

According to them, the cause is the meteoric rise of "digital marabouts," online fortune-tellers who heavily utilize Facebook, TikTok, WhatsApp, and YouTube to attract an increasingly younger and more tech-savvy clientele. Between viral videos, live streams, staged testimonials, and sponsored advertisements, competition is becoming fierce for practitioners based in the region's villages and working-class neighborhoods.

"Before, people came from everywhere."

In Bandafassi, an elderly healer encountered in his compound does not hide his concern. "Before, people came from Tambacounda, Dakar and even from Mali for consultations. Today, everything happens on phones. Clients watch TikTok videos and think that the solutions are there," he confides bitterly.

Sitting under a large tree, surrounded by a few amulets and bottles of herbal remedies, he says his income has plummeted by more than half in less than two years. "Sometimes I go a whole month without a single client. It's unheard of," he adds. The same situation prevails in Salémata, where several practitioners denounce "unfair competition" fueled by social media.

Social media has changed habits

With the democratization of smartphones and mobile internet, mystical practices have gradually migrated to digital platforms. Today, some psychics conduct consultations via video call, offer "mystical protections" through WhatsApp, or publish daily videos promising wealth, love spells, or professional success.

For many residents, this accessibility explains the growing success of these new players. Moussa, a young shopkeeper encountered at the central market in Kédougou, admits to regularly consulting online psychics. "It's faster. You can talk to them without leaving home. Some even do live streams where they answer questions immediately," he explains. Among young people especially, the phenomenon is gaining momentum. Mystical videos sometimes rack up thousands of views in just a few hours.

An industry that has become highly competitive

For many observers, online psychic readings now function as a genuine digital marketplace where visibility has become essential. The most popular practitioners invest in professional videos, sponsored campaigns, client testimonials, daily posts, and sometimes collaborations with influencers. This is a strategy that traditional psychics struggle to keep up with due to a lack of financial resources or mastery of digital tools.

In Saraya, a practitioner claims to have tried to create a Facebook page, without success. "Young marabouts know the Internet. We learned differently. Today, if you are not on social media, clients think you don't exist," he laments.

Between modernity and mistrust

While some residents appreciate the speed of online consultations, others remain wary of the proliferation of anonymous profiles and spectacular promises. In several neighborhoods of Kédougou, citizens are also reporting cases of fraud perpetrated by fake marabouts operating exclusively online.

Aïssatou, a mother, recounts losing a significant sum of money after contacting a self-proclaimed healer via Facebook. "He promised miracle cures. After the money transfers, he disappeared," she says. This situation leads some residents to continue favoring local practitioners they know personally.

A rapidly changing phenomenon

For philosophy professors interviewed on the subject, this evolution primarily reflects a profound transformation of social and cultural practices. Digitalization now affects all sectors, including mystical and traditional activities. "Digital marabouts" rely on virtual proximity, constant communication, the virality of content, and the immediacy of responses.

Faced with this new reality, several traditional fortune tellers in the Kédougou region feel they must adapt to survive. Some are now considering launching their own platforms on TikTok or Facebook to win back an increasingly connected clientele. "Today, the phone has become more powerful than the old recommendation networks," summarizes one practitioner encountered in Salémata.