Orange currently lists its standard SIM at 500 FCFA through Orange Money kiosks and approved points of sale. Its broadly available passes include 10GB for seven days at 2,500 FCFA and 25GB for 30 days at 5,000 FCFA. Yas lists 9GB for seven days at 2,000 FCFA and 12.5GB for 30 days at 5,000 FCFA, activated through its service menu.
Orange
Orange is the simplest local operator for tourists to assess because it publishes a dedicated airport product, ordinary starter-SIM pricing and current data passes.
The 500 FCFA standard prepaid SIM is far cheaper than Sim Teeru. Orange advertises an initial 1GB pass valid for one month, along with additional promotional bonuses. Treat bonuses as secondary: promotions can change, so choose the SIM based on the data pass you intend to purchase.
The 10GB seven-day pass is suitable for an ordinary holiday involving maps, messaging, ride coordination and moderate social media. The 25GB monthly pass is better for a longer trip or more frequent hotspot use. Both are available to ordinary Orange customers, unlike some discounted packages that require Orange Money or the Max it app.
A standard local SIM is usually the better-value Orange choice when you can visit a kiosk during normal business hours. Sim Teeru remains easier when you want one airport transaction that includes a number, calls, SMS and data.
Yas, formerly Free
Yas is the current retail brand of the network previously sold as Free Senegal. Its domestic internet passes are inexpensive, especially the 9GB seven-day pass.
Yas does not publish a dedicated tourist starter bundle or a dependable nationwide starter-SIM price alongside its current data-pass page. Visit a branded shop or approved agent, present your identification and ask for the complete price of the SIM and chosen bundle before paying.
Once the line is active, passes can be selected through #155#. Avoid confusing a data pass with a residential service, contract or mobile-money promotion. The prices above refer to prepaid mobile data allowances, not a home router subscription.
Expresso
Expresso remains an active Senegalese mobile operator, but its public consumer pages do not provide a sufficiently clear, current tourist starter package with confirmed registration steps and a complete SIM-plus-data price.
It can be considered when an official Expresso shop is convenient, but ask for the allowance, validity, total upfront price and identification requirements before registration. For most short-term visitors, Orange, Yas or a pre-arranged Roafly plan is easier to compare in advance.
Using a Roafly eSIM
Roafly is the most convenient option when your priority is having data without visiting an airport counter or local shop.
You can purchase and install the plan before departure, leave your physical SIM in the phone and select the eSIM for mobile data after arrival. There is no Senegalese tourist-SIM registration process or physical SIM swap.
Roafly’s Senegal plans are:
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Data-only, with no Senegalese number, voice minutes or SMS
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Usable for hotspot and tethering across the purchased allowance
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Designed to let your primary SIM remain installed
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Connected through Free in Senegal
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Available in several allowances and validity periods through the live package display
Keeping your home line installed is useful for receiving banking codes and messages. To avoid unexpected charges, disable data roaming on the home SIM and turn off automatic mobile-data switching.
Roafly should not be presented as automatically cheaper than every Senegalese SIM. A 500 FCFA local starter SIM with a domestic data pass can offer substantially more data per dollar. Roafly’s advantage is pre-departure setup, no store visit, no local registration and no airport-stock uncertainty.
Travelers who want mobile data arranged without depending on airport stock or shop hours can view current Senegal eSIM options below.
Travelers who need a local number or many domestic calls should choose Sim Teeru or another registered local SIM. Those comparing digital data packages in more detail can read Best eSIM for Senegal.
International roaming
Senegal is outside the EU and EEA, so EU Roam Like at Home rules do not apply. A European SIM that works domestically across the EU may be charged at a separate international rate in Senegal.
The same caution applies to UK, North American, Asian and Middle Eastern carriers. Some offer international day passes that include Senegal, while others charge per megabyte, sell a small travel bundle or exclude Senegal from their standard roaming package.
Before departure, check:
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Whether Senegal is included by name
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The daily or monthly price
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The full-speed data allowance
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Whether incoming calls are charged
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What happens after the allowance is used
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Whether the pass activates automatically
Regional free-roaming initiatives exist within parts of West Africa. In April 2026, the regulators of Senegal, Benin and Togo announced free-roaming implementation between their countries under ECOWAS rules. This does not mean every foreign SIM automatically receives free data in Senegal: the home country, participating operator, eligibility period and fair-use conditions still matter. Check your provider rather than relying only on the regional policy. Senegal’s telecom regulator’s free-roaming announcement provides the official regional context.
Take extra care near The Gambia or when traveling between northern Senegal and Casamance. Automatic network selection can connect your phone to a Gambian network, potentially creating a second roaming charge. Manual network selection and offline maps can help on border routes.
Home roaming is best treated as a backup, a solution for a one-day visit or a way to keep your regular number active. It is rarely the best-value source of continuous data unless your carrier explicitly includes Senegal.
Mobile networks and coverage
Senegal’s main consumer mobile networks include Orange, Yas and Expresso. Signal quality depends on location, building construction, congestion and the specific technology supported by your phone.
Dakar and major population centers generally provide the easiest mobile-data experience. Coverage becomes less predictable on long intercity drives, remote coastal stretches, rural areas and routes near national borders. Download maps, accommodation details and important tickets before leaving a city.
Orange
Orange publishes 2G, 3G and 4G coverage information and markets itself as having Senegal’s widest footprint. Combined with its dedicated tourist SIM and large retail network, it is the more conservative local-SIM choice for travelers visiting several regions rather than remaining in Dakar.
That does not guarantee coverage on every road or inside every building. Check your planned route and keep offline navigation available.
Yas and Free
Free is the network supplied for Roafly’s Senegal service. The local consumer brand is now Yas.
Yas can be a strong value choice in Dakar and other serviced towns, with low-cost weekly and monthly passes. Travelers using Roafly should expect performance to follow the available Free network signal in their location rather than assuming access to every Senegalese operator.
Expresso
Expresso provides another local network option, but its tourist-facing package information is less transparent. It may be relevant when local residents or accommodation staff confirm good service in a specific area, but it is harder to plan around before arrival.
Travelers planning remote work or a multi-region road trip can consult ARTP’s national mobile quality and coverage results and ask their accommodation which network performs best locally.
Pocket WiFi
Pocket WiFi can connect several phones, tablets and laptops through one mobile router. It is most useful for families, production crews and travelers carrying WiFi-only devices.
However, Senegal’s tourist pocket-WiFi rental market is less predictable than its SIM market. On the checked date, no standardized local price, confirmed Blaise Diagne Airport pickup desk, deposit policy or universal battery specification could be verified. International rental companies may advertise Senegal coverage, but shipping, return arrangements and device terms vary.
Before reserving, confirm:
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Delivery or pickup location
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Whether Senegal service is guaranteed for your dates
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Daily data limits or speed reductions
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Deposit and loss fees
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Battery-life estimate and charging cable
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Return deadline and return postage
The main practical disadvantage is separation: everyone loses access when the person carrying the router leaves. You must also keep another device charged and return it at the end of the trip.
For many groups, using Roafly’s included hotspot support or tethering from a registered local SIM is simpler than renting separate hardware.
Airport and public WiFi
Blaise Diagne International Airport provides free WiFi in the terminal in partnership with Sénégal Numérique. The airport also provides free phone-charging facilities. Its official page does not publish a time or data allowance, so treat the connection as useful arrival WiFi rather than assuming unlimited performance. Blaise Diagne Airport’s official WiFi page confirms the service.
Airport WiFi is useful for:
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Messaging your driver or accommodation
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Opening an eSIM installation email
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Checking an address
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Downloading a map
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Contacting support
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Managing a late-night arrival when a SIM shop is closed
Hotels, guesthouses, coworking spaces, restaurants and cafés commonly provide WiFi, particularly in Dakar and established tourist areas. Quality and access rules vary, so do not rely on venue WiFi for continuous navigation between locations.
Use ordinary precautions: confirm the network name with staff, disable automatic connection to unknown networks and use mobile data for sensitive transactions when practical. There is no reason to assume every public network is malicious, but an unfamiliar open network should not be treated as private.
Best option by traveler type
Short trip to Dakar: Roafly offers the least arrival friction. Install it before departure and use mobile data immediately after connecting.
Traveler needing a local number: Orange Sim Teeru provides a Senegalese number, calls, SMS and 15GB in one airport purchase.
Budget traveler: A registered Orange or Yas SIM with a domestic pass is usually the lowest-cost approach. The savings are greatest when you can buy outside the airport and do not mind registration.
Long stay: Choose a local prepaid SIM. Monthly domestic passes offer more data per franc, and a local number is useful for deliveries, accommodation and local contacts.
Road trip or multi-region itinerary: Consider Orange for its published national footprint, and download offline maps before long rural stages. No network should be assumed to cover every route.
Family or group: One traveler can share Roafly or local mobile data through hotspot. A pocket router is worthwhile only when delivery, charging and return arrangements are clearly confirmed.
Multi-country African trip: Travelers continuing beyond Senegal can consider Africa eSIM rather than purchasing and registering a new physical SIM in every destination.
Phone without eSIM support: Buy Orange Sim Teeru at the airport or visit a branded local operator shop with your passport.
FAQs
Can tourists buy a SIM card at Dakar airport?
Yes. Orange sells Sim Teeru through its AIBD airport shop. It includes 15GB, a local number, calls and SMS for 9,900 FCFA.
Do I need a passport to buy a Senegal SIM?
SIM identification is mandatory. Orange accepts foreign passports, while Sim Teeru accepts a passport or ECOWAS identity card together with a valid travel document.
Is a local SIM cheaper than Roafly?
It can be. Standard Orange SIMs start at 500 FCFA, and domestic Orange and Yas data passes are inexpensive. Roafly primarily saves time and avoids local registration rather than guaranteeing the lowest price.
Does Roafly provide a Senegalese phone number?
No. Roafly’s Senegal plans are data-only. Use internet-based calling and messaging, or choose a local SIM when a Senegalese number is important.
Can I use my phone as a hotspot?
Roafly supports hotspot and tethering across the purchased data allowance without a separate hotspot quota. Local SIM hotspot use depends on the operator plan and phone settings.
Is there free WiFi at Dakar airport?
Yes. The airport officially provides free terminal WiFi. No specific public time or data limit is published.
Does European roaming work in Senegal?
A European SIM may connect, but EU/EEA Roam Like at Home protections do not extend to Senegal. Check the carrier’s Senegal rate or travel pass before enabling mobile data.
Final recommendation
For most short-term visitors, Roafly is the best-balanced option because data can be arranged before departure without an airport purchase, physical SIM swap or Senegalese registration process. It is especially practical for maps, messaging and transport immediately after arrival.
Choose Orange Sim Teeru instead when you want a local number and included calls or prefer staff-assisted airport setup. For longer stays and travelers focused on price, a standard registered Orange or Yas prepaid SIM can provide substantially more data for the money.
Keep home-carrier roaming as a controlled backup, use airport WiFi for initial contact, and treat pocket WiFi as a specialist group option rather than the default way to connect in Senegal.
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