DAKAR, Senegal (Reuters) – Violent clashes at Senegal’s top university have underscored growing pressure on the country’s young, populist-led government as it grapples with a deepening debt crisis.
At least one student was killed, more than 100 people were arrested and the campus of Cheikh Anta Diop University in Dakar remained closed weeks after unrest erupted in early February, following protests over what students said was unpaid financial aid.
Students said police stormed dormitories and beat protesters with batons and shields. Authorities said force was necessary to protect public property, alleging some students had planned to ransack a campus restaurant.
Eyewitness video verified by Reuters showed officers beating an unidentified person outside student residences.
Communications student Babacar Diouf said he was beaten by multiple groups of police officers, leaving him with injuries to his hand and eye.
“A group of police officers beat me to the point where I could no longer sit or lie down,” Diouf said.
The unrest highlights a growing rift between President Bassirou Diomaye Faye and many of his young supporters, who helped propel him — alongside Prime Minister Ousmane Sonko — to power in 2024.
The government has since disclosed about $13 billion in previously unreported borrowing by the former administration, one of the largest hidden debt cases ever recorded in Africa. Following the revelation, the International Monetary Fund froze a $1.8 billion lending programme.
Authorities have ruled out debt restructuring and prioritised repaying international investors.
Higher Education Minister Daouda Ngom said a day after the clashes that Senegal spent significantly more on scholarships than neighbouring countries in 2025. However, government documents show student aid declining in the 2026 budget.
Student groups said first-year students received the equivalent of about $143 for the period from October to January, less than half of what they were due. The government said it was not behind on payments, but had altered the payment schedule.
With job opportunities shrinking and new transaction taxes adding pressure, students say they are being asked to bear the cost of economic reforms.
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