Yankhoba Diémé à bord du train inaugural : La ligne Touba-Mbacké-Ngabou entre en service
This Saturday, October 25, 2025, the Minister of Land and Air Transport, Yankhoba Diémé, launched the new railway line linking Touba, Mbacké and Ngabou. A project carried out with 100% Senegalese expertise.
The launching ceremony for the Touba-Mbacké-Ngabou (TMN) railway line took place this Saturday in the holy city of Touba, the spiritual capital of Mouridism. The historic event was chaired by the Minister of Land and Air Transport, Yankhoba Diémé, accompanied by members of the government and in the presence of religious authorities, including a delegation from the spokesperson for the General Caliph of the Mourides.
To symbolically mark this event, they made the inaugural journey on board the train, from Ngabou to Touba via Mbacké, thus testing the capabilities of this resurrected infrastructure.
A cost-effective project: 150 million for an impact of 5 billion
One of the biggest surprises of this project is its exceptionally low cost. "This project didn't cost us 2.5 billion, it cost us much less. The Senegalese government spent no more than 150 million CFA francs," the minister revealed.
This financial feat is due to an innovative approach: instead of purchasing new trains, the government mobilized existing equipment. "We took inventory, and we know we have trains sitting idle in the corridors, spare parts ordered years ago that haven't been used," explained Yankhoba Diémé. In terms of equipment deployed, the total value of the project is around 5 billion CFA francs.
100% Senegalese expertise praised
The minister was keen to highlight the entirely local nature of the project. "This is a complete fleet, completely renovated, not to say resurrected, with a great deal of innovation, using 100% local, not to say 100% Senegalese, expertise," he proudly emphasized.
Yankhoba Diémé paid particular tribute to the general managers Ibrahima Ba (CFS) and Mokhtar Ba (GTS), as well as their teams. "These are the young Senegalese people we owe to the President of the Republic's choice. Children of railway workers who grew up on the rails, or young engineers who worked in structures like the French railways and who chose to give up their colossal salaries paid in millions of euros to come, out of a high sense of patriotic duty, to join the national construction," he declared.
No fewer than 108 qualified railway workers, women and men, are permanently mobilized to keep this line running.
Massive transport capacity dedicated to students
The TMN project is based on two reversible trains with a capacity of 240 seats each, or 300 seats in total including standing room, for a total of 600 available seats. With 15 trips scheduled daily, nearly 4,800 to 5,000 passengers will be able to be transported each day between Touba and Ngabou.
"This capacity that we are making available to the people of Touba is primarily dedicated to our pupils and students," the minister insisted. The project aims in particular to facilitate the travel of the 3,000 students who travel daily in difficult conditions, with a high accident rate on these roads.
On the instructions of President Bassirou Diomaye Diakhar Faye, socially accessible rates have been introduced:
Single ticket: from 150 FCFA
Monthly subscription for students: 5,000 FCFA.
He revealed an important anecdote explaining the secrecy surrounding this project. During an audience before the Magal, the General Caliph of the Mourides, Sheikh Mountakha Bassirou Mbacké, made a specific request: "I would like the train to stop running only during the Magal and for you to work to make it permanent. But as you have worked discreetly until the train runs during this Magal, I would like you to continue to work discreetly until you have done everything necessary."
The General Caliph himself chose the launch date. "Today, it is the General Caliph of the Mourides who chose the day. I congratulate him and thank him for the prayers he offered us," said Yankhoba Diémé.
Beyond infrastructure, the TMN project represents "an entire ecosystem," in the minister's words. The line will relieve road congestion, reduce travel times, limit the carbon footprint, and stimulate local economic activity by better connecting living and commercial areas.
"Connecting Touba to Mbacké, connecting Mbacké to Ngabou by rail, is strengthening the social fabric, it is honoring the legacy of Serigne Touba, Cheikh Ahmadou Bamba Mbacké, it is building together the Senegal of tomorrow," the minister affirmed.
A ceremony with high official presence
The ceremony was attended by members of the government, including:
Alioune Dione, Minister of Microfinance and Social and Solidarity Economy, Mohamed Talla Ndao, Secretary of State for Urban Planning and Housing and
Bakary Sarr, Secretary of State for Culture.
The governor of the Diourbel region, the prefect of the Mbacké department, the sub-prefect of the Ndame district, as well as the mayors of Touba, Mbacké and Ngabou were also present.
The minister praised the involvement of the Touba Ca Kanam association, "serving Sheikh Ahmadou Bamba day and night," as well as that of the transporters and the defense and security forces.
A project that illustrates the "Senegal 2050" vision
He stressed that this project fits perfectly with the vision of Prime Minister Ousmane Sonko, responding to what he describes as "endogenous economy" and "catalytic projects".
"We didn't buy any new oars, we made something new from old ones, but it's only willpower that can bring us to this level," he concluded, inviting the Senegalese to draw inspiration from the faith and determination of the Mouride community. "If each of us can draw strong inspiration from this for Senegal, we can work miracles," he said.
Commentaires (17)
Imaginez ce qu'on aurait pu réaliser avec autant de milliards dépensé en 12 ans.
Avec 150 millions on refectionne ce train.
Ya de l'espoir avec ce nouveau pouvoir.
Selon nos informations, la dette de l’entreprise atteint désormais plusieurs centaines de milliards de FCFA, impliquant fournisseurs, partenaires financiers et sous-traitants. Les représentants du personnel attribuent cette dérive à des « choix d’achats d’avions opérés à l’encontre des recommandations du Business Plan initial » ainsi qu’à une « frénésie suspecte d’affrètements d’avions ACMI ». Les conséquences directes de cette situation sont, selon le document, une « trésorerie exsangue, des retards de salaires, des menaces des fournisseurs et une perte de confiance des partenaires et clients ». Cette situation au sein de la compagnie nationale s’inscrit dans un contexte plus large de débat sur la dette des entreprises publiques au Sénégal
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