We entered Senegal in February 2025 and traveled around, with a side quest to the Gambia. Here you’ll find which Senegalese SIM card to buy, how to get one at a shop or from an authorized street vendor, and how to set up an eSIM before you arrive so you’re never offline or lost.

Which Senegalese SIM Card is Best?

Orange. It has the best coverage in Senegal, with 4G or 4G+ almost everywhere and 5G in the bigger cities, such as Saint-Louis and Dakar. It’s also very easy to obtain this SIM card.

Senegalese eSIM Before Arrival

When departing for Senegal from Mauritania, we considered getting a Senegalese eSIM before crossing the border. However, reports from friends said that it’s really easy to immediately get a physical Orange SIM card in Saint-Louis. Also, the transport company that brought us from Nouakchott to the Diama border and from Diama to Saint-Louis was almost door to door. So we were comfortable figuring it out ourselves. We arrived early enough in Saint-Louis to still buy a SIM card on the first day.

However, if you’re entering Senegal from a less popular border (e.g. Mali, Guinea-Bissau, or Guinea border) or if you’re traveling through Senegal for a while before visiting a bigger city, you might want to consider an eSIM. Currently, with the Retba Mobile package, you can get 1GB for 7 days for €6.50. Not cheap, but it gets you there.

Another scenario in which you might prefer a Senegalese eSIM: if you’re staying in Senegal for just one week at a resort and want to be online during excursions, this package is perfect.

Senegalese SIM Card Options: Orange, Free, and Expresso

There are three telecom providers in Senegal: Orange (formerly known as Sonatel), Free, and Expresso. Since coverage was by far the most important factor for me, I didn’t even check the prices of the other ones. According to the coverage map, Orange is the best provider in Senegal.

Orange SIM cards on offer at the Diama border with Mauritania

When entering Senegal from Mauritania, there were lots of SIM card vendors on both sides of the dam. At the Senegalese immigration office, a lady speaking perfect English tried to sell us an Orange SIM card. I think this one would be pre-activated and therefore registered in someone else’s name. We didn’t want to buy it because there’s a chance it doesn’t work.

However, we found it interesting that she offered to give us a free Orange SIM card for Senegal in exchange for our used Mauritanian SIM card. Didn’t matter which type. We ended up thanking her for the offer, but not doing it, because the Mauritanian SIM card was registered with Jonas’ passport.

Orange SIM card in Saint-Louis

A few hours later, we arrived in Saint-Louis and walked to the Orange telecommunications office on Google Maps. The office was closed, because it was Monday and after 16:45… But there was a young lady outside who said she could get us a very legit registered SIM card. I decided to wait until tomorrow, but Jonas decided to buy one from her.

We went inside the garage of the Orange office despite some protestations from the guard. This was mostly for privacy and to be in the shadow. That’s where she grabbed her sign-up phone, which can do all sorts of cool things, like reading the biometric chip in your passport. She snapped pictures of it and basically filled in the sign-up form for Jonas. After a few minutes, she gave him the SIM card frame. Jonas popped it into his SIM card slot and it immediately worked. She didn’t ask for his fingerprints, as some reports on the internet say.

Since she didn’t have top-up cards on hand, Jonas went to a little shop and bought a 2000 XOF top-up to buy an internet package of 4 GB of data. So with the 1000 XOF for just the SIM card, the total price came down to 3000 XOF to be in business. What we didn’t know is that the initial 1000 XOF investment into the SIM card comes with 1 GB of data, valid for one week.

Not long after, Jonas started getting lots of texts from Orange. A bit annoying, not at all relevant, unfortunately. But, we were online!

The next day, we returned to the official Orange office to get my SIM card. This time, the door was open. We walked through and asked some people where to get a SIM card. We were pointed to the waiting area, where we saw the same lady like the day before again, but this time with a colleague. A Swedish guy also showed up for the same thing, so we had a chat while she went ahead and also scanned my passport and signed me up for a prepayé Orange SIM card. It was the same like with Jonas’ SIM the previous day, but much more comfortable because we could sit in this airconditioned space. And this time, she had data. So the total was 3000 XOF again, but as a one-stop-shop.

Now that we were both online, we could enjoy traveling around Senegal for a few months. Data in Senegal is quite cheap. Perhaps not as cheap as Kyrgyzstan, but very good for Africa.

Senegalese SIM Card FAQ + Internet Freedom

Should I buy a Senegalese SIM card at the airport?

Blaise Diagne International Airport (DSS) apparently has no official Orange telecom shop. But there are many SIM card vendors outside who can sell you a pre-activated SIM card registered in someone else’s name. The SIM itself also costs only 1000 XOF. I would only consider this if my flight would arrive at a reasonable time during the day. Otherwise, I’d get it in town and not risk it being shut off randomly in the future. Just make sure to search where your nearest agency is and save it on your map before going there.

Where can I buy a Senegalese SIM card?

At an Agence Orange in any city or town. Sometimes, they still have the old Sonatel branding. You can either buy it from an authorized vendor in the office or on the street by an authorized vendor. An authorized vendor will ask for your passport to sign you up. That’s how you know your SIM card is registered and not recycled.

Should I download the app of my Senegalese provider?

We tried to, but couldn’t. Something about our Google/Apple accounts being registered in the Netherlands/Germany. You can try to see if you can download it (Google Play + Apple Store), but it’s not necessary to download the app. Everything you need can be done with USSD codes.

How can I top-up my Senegalese SIM card?

Scratch cards. You buy them at a convenience store, kiosk, or street vendor. The price is mentioned on the card, so it’s transparent what you owe. Follow the instructions on the back of the card to top-up your balance. Then you can buy a new internet package by dialing #1234#1#

You can also top it up by using Wave, or paying someone cash and having them send you the balance on Wave. You’ll have to ask for Orange Crédit and give them your phone number. You don’t have to use Wave yourself for this move to work.

How can I check my balance and remaining data?

In 2025, the Orange SIM card frame neatly mentions all the important USSD codes. It’s a good idea to keep it for the duration of your trip.

To check your remaining data, dial #1234#3#
To check your balance, dial #123#

Does tethering work with an Orange SIM card?

Yes, we had no problems sharing internet from our mobile phones to our laptops or another mobile phone. This was essential whenever the local WiFi signal was too weak or when we were traveling with someone who didn’t have a SIM card anymore.

How can I keep my Senegalese SIM card between visits to Senegal?

If you’re traveling through West Africa and are in Senegal, chances are you’ll also visit The Gambia before going to the other side of Senegal again. This is where my dual-SIM phone really got to shine. The SIM card should not expire until 6 months after the last recharge, according to the Orange website.

Is the internet blocked or monitored in Senegal?

In general, the Senegalese government does not surveil or filter the internet.

Big aside: in 2023 and 2024 in the runup for the general elections, the government blocked things to stifle the unrest and gatherings of people in Dakar. Wikipedia says the government pulled the plug on all mobile internet access, while a Dutch news website says they blocked all social media. While the latter is just annoying, but avoidable with a VPN, the former is much more serious. Shutting down the whole internet means it also affects travelers who need to use the internet for innocuous things, such as Google Maps.

So while Senegal is generally a nice and sane country in my experience, I would maybe avoid Dakar and needing the internet during presidential elections. Make sure you have an offline map downloaded of the country so you can still get back to your accommodation without needing mobile data.

Should I download a VPN before going to Senegal?

Yes. I had my VPN on with my Senegalese SIM card the entire time and never ran into a website that didn’t work. It often happens when visiting (foreign) websites from a lesser-known country such as Senegal that the website blocks that traffic. For no good reason. But with my VPN, I had a smooth experience throughout my travels.

I have used different VPNs over my 10+ years of traveling that are very similar. However, NordVPN is much more affordable than the other providers—especially if you get the yearly or two-year plan. I have the Basic two-year plan which comes down to €4/month. If you want to try NordVPN, you can sign up via this link and get 3 months for free. It’s a referral link, so if you sign up I might, might, receive a commission from NordVPN for pointing you in their direction.

Good info? Consider buying me a Bouyé!

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