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.
Local currency CFA francs (XOF): foreign visitors face no restriction when it comes to importing the local currency.
Foreign currencies: foreign visitors must declare if they are importing foreign currencies worth more than 1,000,000 CFA francs (or its equivalent) or exporting foreign currencies worth more than 500,000 CFA francs (or its equivalent).
Senegal duty free
The following may be imported into Senegal by travellers over 18 years of age without incurring customs duty:
• 10 packets of cigarettes, 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.
• about ten films.
• 1 camera.
• 1 musical instrument (for example, guitar, flute, etc.).
• 1 radio set.
• 1 laptop computer containing personal data.
• 1 tent and/or other camping equipment.
• 1 sports equipment consisting of specific and personal items.
• 1 hunting weapon with 50 cartridges, subject to being a member of a hunting association.
• 1 canoe or any other similar device with a length of less than 5.5Om.
• 1 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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