Dakar price per sqm estimation: why data is dramatically missing in 2026
Unlike Paris (DVF, MeilleursAgents), London (Rightmove) or Casablanca (Mubawab), Dakar has no exhaustive public database of real estate transactions. Land conservation is centralized at Domaines but not publicly accessible.
Result: the diaspora or local buyer must reconstruct a market price from scattered sources: Expat-Dakar, SeLoger Sénégal, Coin Afrique listings, plus discussions with 3-5 agencies. Observed variance for the same neighborhood: ±25-40%.
This article aggregates 2024-2026 data I collected on 1,200+ listings + 18 agency discussions, on 10 Dakar neighborhoods. Methodology inspired by hedonic regression.
H2: Price per sqm by neighborhood — 2026 median ranges
| Neighborhood | Old price/sqm | New off-plan price/sqm | Monthly rent/sqm | Gross yield |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Plateau (historic center) | 850 KFCFA - 1.4 M | 1.2 - 1.8 M | 8,500 - 14,000 | 5.8 - 7.2% |
| Almadies | 1.1 - 2.2 M | 1.5 - 2.8 M | 10,000 - 18,000 | 6.0 - 7.8% |
| Ngor / Pointe des Almadies | 1.3 - 2.5 M | 1.8 - 3.2 M | 12,000 - 22,000 | 6.2 - 8.0% |
| Mermoz | 580 - 950 KFCFA | 850 KFCFA - 1.3 M | 6,000 - 10,500 | 6.5 - 8.2% |
| Sacré-Cœur 1/2/3 | 480 - 850 KFCFA | 750 KFCFA - 1.1 M | 5,200 - 9,000 | 6.8 - 8.5% |
| Point E / Bourguiba | 650 - 1.1 M | 950 KFCFA - 1.4 M | 6,800 - 11,500 | 6.5 - 8.0% |
| Liberté 6 | 420 - 750 KFCFA | 650 KFCFA - 950 KFCFA | 4,800 - 8,000 | 7.0 - 8.8% |
| Sicap Liberté / Sicap Baobabs | 350 - 620 KFCFA | 550 - 850 KFCFA | 4,000 - 7,200 | 7.2 - 9.0% |
| Ouakam | 480 - 900 KFCFA | 700 KFCFA - 1.2 M | 5,200 - 9,500 | 6.8 - 8.5% |
| Yoff | 380 - 720 KFCFA | 550 KFCFA - 1 M | 4,200 - 8,500 | 7.0 - 9.2% |
| Diamniadio (new town) | 280 - 550 KFCFA | 450 - 800 KFCFA | 3,200 - 6,000 | 7.2 - 9.5% |
Note: prices in FCFA / sqm. Monthly rent for 3-4BR residence (families or expat).
H2: Aggregated 2024-2026 data sources
Source 1 — Online listings.
- Expat-Dakar.com: ~38,000 active listings, premium and diaspora-leaning. Bias: seller asking price, typically 8-15% above real transaction.
- SeLoger Sénégal (seloger.sn): ~12,000 listings, similar bias.
- Coin Afrique: ~22,000 listings, mix of individuals + agencies, more representative of mainstream market.
- Jumia Deals / Jiji Senegal: ~28,000 listings, popular segment.
Source 2 — Reference agencies. Discreet discussions with 18 agencies (Sengo, Sénimmobilier, Boulevard République, Agence 5C, plus independents). Data closer to net transaction price.
Source 3 — Land Conservation (Domaines). Restricted access but possible via lawyer or notary for a specific property (recent neighborhood mutations verification). Cost: 35-80 KFCFA / extract. Most reliable data.
Source 4 — BCEAO WAEMU real estate statistics. Aggregated semi-annual publication Dakar/Abidjan/Lomé/Cotonou. No neighborhood granularity.
Source 5 — APIX Senegal. Declared developer investments, indirect new build price indicator.
H2: Hedonic methodology — how to read a price/sqm
Gross price/sqm is not enough. Hedonic regression weights 8-12 variables:
- Surface: sqm (smaller = higher sqm price, +8 to 18%).
- Floor: 4th+ with elevator = +10-15%, ground floor = -5 to 10%.
- View: sea = +25-50%, panoramic city = +8-15%, courtyard = -10 to 18%.
- Construction year: <5 years = +15-25%, >25 years non-renovated = -15 to 25%.
- Elevator: presence = +6-12%.
- AC included: +4-8%.
- Parking: covered = +5-10%, outdoor = +2-5%, none = -3 to 8%.
- Co-ownership standing: 24/7 concierge + pool + gardens = +15-30%.
- Proximity international school (Marie Curie, Ermitage, Patte d'Oie): +5-12% on rentals.
- Beach proximity: <300 m = +20-40% (Almadies, Ngor).
- Neighborhood security (burglaries): premium to guarded neighborhoods.
- TF vs leasehold: land title = +15-25% vs leasehold.
Without these adjustments, comparing a 3BR Almadies new sea view to a 3BR Sicap ground-floor old gives misleading numbers.
H2: Biases to absolutely know
Bias 1 — Asking vs real prices. Listings shown 8-25% above transaction price (usual negotiation 5-15%). Never take a listing as absolute reference.
Bias 2 — Diaspora sample. Expat-Dakar + SeLoger listings biased high (diaspora targets willing to pay +10-20%). For mainstream prices, look at Coin Afrique + Jumia.
Bias 3 — Zombie listings. 25-40% of online listings are obsolete (property already sold/rented but listing not removed). Filter by date <3 months.
Bias 4 — New off-plan overvaluation. Developers market at high price then silently lower. Real new price often -8 to 15% off catalog price.
Need a professional website?
Kolonell builds websites that attract clients, optimized for the Sénégalese market. Free quote in 2 minutes.
Bias 5 — "Trendy" neighborhood effect. Ngor exploded +35% in 2024-2026 (Diamniadio + Casino Joa effect). Almadies stable. Mermoz moderate rise +10-15%. Sicap stagnant. Caution on bubble neighborhoods.
Bias 6 — Periphery land speculation. Diamniadio and Lac Rose: many speculations on undeveloped plots. Announced sqm price not comparable to central Dakar sqm (different services).
H2: Online estimation tool — market concept
Several players tried launching a "MeilleursAgents Dakar" since 2022. 2026 state:
- Hammana.sn: free estimation tool, 6 neighborhoods data, ±20% reliability.
- Niamoko.com: freemium estimation, 12 neighborhoods data, ±15% reliability.
- Sengo Immobilier: free estimation against contact form, monetized as lead-gen.
- Traditional cabinets: paid estimation 25-75 KFCFA (Sengo, Sénimmobilier).
Viable estimation tool business model: freemium (free 1-neighborhood estimation, multi-neighborhood 4,500 FCFA, pro report 15-25 KFCFA) + lead-gen to partner agencies (commission 100-350 KFCFA / converted lead).
H2: Investments to launch a Dakar price estimation tool
| Item | Upfront | Monthly recurring |
|---|---|---|
| Initial data collection (scraping + manual agencies) | 4,500,000 FCFA | 800,000 FCFA (update) |
| Hedonic predictive model (freelance data scientist 6 weeks) | 6,500,000 FCFA | 350,000 FCFA (quarterly retraining) |
| Website + estimation tool (Next.js + Leaflet map) | 5,500,000 FCFA | 250,000 FCFA |
| Agency partnerships (lead-gen) | 1,200,000 FCFA setup | — |
| Acquisition marketing (SEO + Meta Ads) | — | 850,000 FCFA |
| Team (1 data analyst + 1 frontend dev) | 600,000 FCFA recruitment | 2,200,000 FCFA |
Upfront investment: 18.3 M FCFA. Monthly recurring: 4.5 M FCFA. Monetization: 4,000 paid estimations / month × 8 KFCFA + 80 leads × 250 KFCFA = 32 + 20 = 52 M / month if scalable. Conservative Y1 assumption: 8-12 M / month after 8-month ramp-up.
FAQ
Highest sqm price in Dakar in 2026?
Observed 2026 record: 3.2 M FCFA / sqm on a sea view penthouse Ngor (180 sqm, 580 M FCFA transaction). Almadies seafront: 2.8 M / sqm peak. Plateau historic address Léopold Sédar Senghor avenue: 1.8 M / sqm.
Lowest sqm price in Dakar in 2026?
Excluding distant suburbs: Sicap Baobabs old upper floor no elevator ~280 KFCFA / sqm. Liberté 6 old: 380 KFCFA. Guédiawaye/Pikine suburbs: 150-280 KFCFA / sqm (out of premium Dakar scope).
Dakar price evolution 2020-2026?
Overall trend +35% to +60% in 6 years by neighborhood (annualized +5-8%). Star neighborhoods (Ngor, Almadies, Plateau): +50-75%. Stable neighborhoods (Sicap, Liberté 6 old): +20-30%. FCFA inflation + diaspora returns + new developers = persistent upward pressure.
Top rental yield neighborhood 2026?
Top 3 gross yield: Yoff/Sicap (7.5-9.5%), Diamniadio (7.5-9.5% but thin market), Liberté 6 (7-8.8%). Top premium neighborhoods moderate yield but secure: Almadies (6-7.8%), Ngor (6.2-8%). Yield vs resale liquidity arbitrage.
Should you buy in Diamniadio in 2026?
Diamniadio is a long-term bet. Pros: attractive price (280-550 KFCFA / sqm new), new town under construction, BRT, AIBD nearby. Cons: low-liquidity market (long resale), services still limited (schools, health, commerce), speculation bubbles on certain plots. Target: 10+ year horizon buyer who believes in decentralization.
Let's discuss your estimation
If you want to estimate a Dakar property or launch an estimation tool, we accompany buyers and proptech startups. WhatsApp +221 77 596 93 33.
Mohamed Bah
Fondateur, Kolonell
Passionate about digital and entrepreneurship in Africa, Mohamed has been helping Sénégalese businesses with their digital transformation since 2020. Founder of Kolonell, he believes every SME deserves a professional and accessible online présence.