Money & duty free for Senegal
Exchange rates:
EuroC$1 = €0.72
£1 = €1.19
US$1 = €0.96
CFA Franc
C$1 = XOF655.96
€1 = XOF655.96
£1 = XOF655.96
US$1 = XOF655.96
Currency & Money
CFA (Communauté Financière Africaine) Franc (XOF) = 100 centimes. Notes are in denominations of XOF10,000, 5,000, 2,000,1,000 and 500. Coins are in denominations of XOF500, 250, 200, 100, 50, 25, 10, 5 and 1.
Senegal is part of the French Monetary Area. Only currency issued by the Banque des États de l'Afrique de l'Ouest (Bank of West African States) is valid; currency issued by the Banque des États de l'Afrique Centrale (Bank of Central African States) is not. The CFA Franc is pegged to the Euro.
American Express and Visa are more widely accepted than other credit cards. Fees are added for the use of credit cards and many businesses may not accept payments with foreign cards. It is best to carry cash for the majority of transactions.
There are ATMs throughout Senegal and fairly widespread across Dakar. However, check if they accept foreign cards first. Société Générale de Banque au Sénégal is said to be accepting foreign ATM cards but do check diligently before using.
Traveller's cheques are not commonly used nowadays. If you're still using them, beware that only banks in Dakar can accept them.
The import of local currency is unlimited and does not have to be declared.
Currency equivalents of up to FCFA1,000,000 are allowed to be imported without a currency declaration and the equivalent of up to FCFA500,000 can be exported.
For higher amounts, a foreign currency import declaration must be submitted upon entry. This declaration and proof of exchange must be presented when leaving the country.
The Senegalese customs authorities do not hesitate to confiscate undeclared currency if there is suspicion of currency smuggling.
Withdrawal and exchange receipts should be retained until departure. Means of payment established abroad or in UEMOA member states and made out to their names (traveller's cheques, certified cheques, etc.) must be declared.
Senegal duty free
The following may be imported into Senegal by travellers over 18 years of age without incurring customs duty:
• 200 cigarettes or 50 cigars or 250g of tobacco.
• 1 bottle of wine and 1 bottle of spirits.
• 1 bottle of perfume and 1 bottle of eau de toilette.
• personal jewellery in gold or silver, not exceeding the weight of 50 g.
• one photo camera.
• about ten films.
• one camera.
• one musical instrument (for example, guitar, flute, etc.).
• one radio set.
• one laptop computer containing personal data.
• one tent and/or other camping equipment.
• one sports equipment consisting of specific and personal items.
• one hunting weapon with 50 cartridges, subject to being a member of a hunting association.
• one canoe or any other similar device with a length of less than 5.5Om.
• one pair of tennis rackets.
• foodstuffs in proportions corresponding to the personal needs of the traveller.
Prohibited items include obscene publications, narcotics and subversive publications.
Restricted items requiring a permit include weapons and ammunition, medicines (other than for personal use), transceiver devices, meats and offal, double tomato paste and endangered animal species.
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