Socioeconomic Impact of DP World in Senegal

Commissioned by DP World sub-Saharan Africa.

Oxford Economics Africa conducted a socioeconomic impact assessment of DP World Dakar covering 2022–2024. We assessed DP World’s operations in Senegal, quantifying its economic footprint, the activity supported through trade facilitation and evaluating social and environmental outcomes, while mapping how value is created for key stakeholders: employees, customers, suppliers, partners, and communities.

DP World’s container terminal at the Port of Dakar is a critical node in Senegal’s and West Africa’s trade networks. Our study quantifies the terminal’s full socioeconomic footprint, showing substantial contributions to GDP, employment, and tax revenues—driven not only by on-site activity but also by the trade it enables across supply chains. Impacts extend beyond Senegal into neighbouring economies.

Over 2022–2024, DP World’s container terminal operations and the trade it enables supported an average annual USD 1.1 billion in GVA – equivalent to 3.8% of Senegal’s GDP – and around 170,000 jobs (3.1% of national employment). Associated activity contributed an average USD 203 million per year in tax revenues (3.5% of national receipts). The largest share of the impact is catalytic; as DP World facilitates the movement of imports and exports, it supports economic activity, employment and tax revenues through the distribution, wholesale and retail of traded goods.

Looking ahead, DP World’s USD 1.2 billion deepwater Port of Ndayane and related services are set to expand capacity, reduce logistics costs, and strengthen regional connectivity—pointing to further gains in GDP, employment, and public revenues in the years ahead.

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The experts behind the research

Cobus de Hart

Director of Africa Consulting, OE Africa

Cobus de Hart

Director of Africa Consulting, OE Africa

Cobus is currently the Director of Consulting at Oxford Economics Africa, previously the company’s Chief Economist for North and West Africa. Cobus completed his B.Com Econometric Analysis degree at the University of Stellenbosch, opting to also pursue a B.Com Honours in Economics at the same institution. He spent two years with GSEC, a consultancy focused on strategy realignment services in the public and private sectors, before moving to B&M Analysts as a research analyst and later project manager. During this time, Cobus completed his master’s degree and thereafter completed a D.Com in Economics at the University of South Africa. Cobus has been at Oxford Economics Africa for ten years and has managed and worked on a significant number of bespoke projects for both local and international clients, governments and multilateral institutions.
Marietha Jacobs

Econometrician, OE Africa

Marietha Jacobs

Econometrician, OE Africa

Marietha is an econometrician on the consulting team at Oxford Economics Africa. She began her career as an economist at a development economics consulting firm in South Africa, where she spent ten years specialising in the analysis of economic development issues for both public and private sector clients. Marietha holds a Bachelor of Commerce Honours degree in Econometrics from the University of Pretoria, South Africa, graduating with distinction.
Greg Struyweg

Senior Economist

Greg Struyweg

Senior Economist

Greg is a Senior Economist in the consulting team at Oxford Economic Africa. His work focuses on undertaking economic impact studies for multinational corporations, industry groups, and governments, offering clients insights into the socio-economic effects of policies, regulatory changes, and events.
Prior to joining the consulting team, Greg worked in the company’s macroeconomic subscription services, where he was responsible for the macroeconomic analysis of Uganda, Rwanda, the Democratic Republic of the Congo, Burundi, and the Republic of Congo. He holds a BSc (Hons) in Economics from the University of Bath and an MCom in Economics from the University of Pretoria.