Senegal’s national signal distributor, Télédiffusion du Sénégal (TDS-SA), has pledged to make 10,000 digital terrestrial television (DTT) decoders available to the public ahead of the Dakar 2026 Youth Olympic Games, as the country prepares to host its first Olympic event.
The commitment was announced during a meeting convened by Communication Minister Bacary Sarr with public-service media and national companies to coordinate communication around the Games, which open on 1 November. TDS-SA also announced the launch of digital terrestrial radio and plans for a promotional trailer to be broadcast simultaneously across multiple channels on 29 October.
The decoder pledge is the most direct intervention aimed at expanding television access. Households without compatible receivers may otherwise be unable to access digital terrestrial broadcasts, limiting their ability to follow coverage through the platform. Providing equipment could help reduce that barrier during a major national sporting event, although no published figures establish how many households remain without DTT reception or what proportion the 10,000 units would cover.
The announcement did not include a distribution schedule, eligibility criteria or details on the locations where decoders will be made available. Nor was a programme document cited to explain how the target was calculated. The commitment therefore signals an effort to widen access, but its potential national impact remains difficult to quantify.
The radio announcement comes as Senegal moves to operationalise its digital terrestrial radio platform. TDS-SA is expected to offer 18 radio services, with the technology intended to improve reception quality and make more efficient use of radio spectrum. The infrastructure follows a pilot phase launched by the Telecommunications and Posts Regulatory Authority in 2022, with the transfer of the platform to TDS-SA formalised in September 2026.
The meeting also exposed tensions around media access to the Games. Le Soleil and the Agence de Presse Sénégalaise raised concerns about the number of press accreditations allocated to their organisations. Olivia Nloga, who oversees brand promotion for Dakar 2026, said more than 60% of press accreditations had gone to Senegalese media and undertook to review the concerns with the relevant press services and organising committee.
The distribution commitments should be distinguished from the separate question of which broadcasters will carry the Games. The ministerial meeting account identifies TDS-SA’s role in signal distribution and promotional activity but does not set out specific broadcast arrangements for RTS or Canal+.
For Senegal, the decoder initiative and digital radio launch place distribution infrastructure at the centre of preparations for Dakar 2026. Whether the measures deliver lasting benefits beyond the Games will depend on how widely equipment is distributed, how accessible the services remain to households and how the new digital platform develops after the event.
