Table of Contents

1. Key Highlights:
2. Introduction
3. A Senegalese identity at the heart of a global retailer
4. Store formats and category strategy: Aelia Duty Free and beyond
5. CASE BI: An airside showcase for Senegalese luxury
6. Képar Café: Hyper‑local F&B with measurable community impact
7. Teranga as a commercial asset: Cultural hospitality in retail experience
8. Airport ambitions: AIBD’s growth plan and commercial land assets
9. Scaling a regional strategy: Lagardère’s Africa expansion blueprint
10. Building in‑house brands: From dining to retail
11. Workforce composition and talent empowerment
12. Commercial results and shopper behavior
13. Supply chain and procurement: balancing central purchasing with local selection
14. Community partnerships and governance
15. Challenges on the road to hub status
16. What success looks like: metrics and milestones
17. Replicability: Can Dakar’s model scale across Africa?
18. The competitive landscape: airlines, airports and retail partners
19. Digital and omnichannel opportunities
20. Governance, regulation and stakeholder alignment
21. What passengers experience: the retail journey at AIBD
22. Measuring impact: commercial returns and social dividends
23. Looking ahead: short‑term priorities and long‑term bets
24. FAQ

Key Highlights:

• Lagardère Travel Retail’s Dakar division has built a distinctly Senegalese identity: senior leadership under Sountou Bousso, strong female representation, in‑house brands and local sourcing are central to the retail and F&B offer.
• Aéroport International Blaise Diagne (AIBD) aims to more than triple passenger volumes to 10 million, while Lagardère’s departures mix (700 sq m Aelia Duty Free plus boutique CASE BI) foregrounds local artisans, premium beauty and tobacco as top categories.
• Képar Café demonstrates a community-led food & beverage model: menus by local chefs, furniture and design by local craftsmen, and hiring from the Yéba village, creating meaningful employment and social impact.

Introduction

Dakar’s airport has moved beyond being a transit node. It now serves as a stage where commercial ambition, cultural identity and social impact intersect. At Aéroport International Blaise Diagne (AIBD), retail and dining combine local craftsmanship, curated global brands and targeted community development. The driving force behind much of this activity is Lagardère Travel Retail’s West, Central & East Africa division, led by Sountou Bousso. What emerges is a case study in how a multinational retail operator can root its offer in local talent, lift the passenger experience and support wider airport and regional growth strategies.

This article examines the business choices, store concepts and community initiatives that define Dakar’s airport retail landscape. It draws on on‑the‑ground observation at the departures terminal, interviews with regional executives and local leaders, and examples from comparable airport retail programs to explain why Dakar has credibility as a regional aviation and commercial hub—and what that means for passengers, brands and the local economy.

A Senegalese identity at the heart of a global retailer

Lagardère Travel Retail is an established Paris‑based operator with a global footprint. The Dakar regional division resists the template of a distant corporate outpost. Leadership, staffing and product decisions are rooted in the local market. Sountou Bousso, appointed regional CEO in 2020, runs an executive team notable for its youth—many key decision makers are under 40—and gender balance. This local leadership has made Dakar the regional flagship not by importing a fixed European model, but by adapting global retail know‑how to Senegalese realities.

That approach manifests in several practical ways. Store layout, merchandising and brand selection place local products centre stage. Packaging and point‑of‑sale messaging deliberately incorporate local language, symbols and craft motifs. The baobab tree—a national emblem—features prominently in the departures store area, signalling to travellers that they are entering a uniquely Senegalese retail environment rather than a faceless international concourse.

The commercial advantage is twofold. First, passengers from Senegal and other West African markets recognise and value culturally resonant products, which strengthens conversion. Second, international visitors gain a curated introduction to Senegalese craftsmanship, driving higher value purchases and serving the broader tourism economy by creating memorable encounters with local culture.

Real‑world parallel: Airports in destinations like Doha and Singapore long ago integrated national motifs and local culinary concepts into their retail strategies. In Dakar, the scale is smaller but the logic is identical: an airport functions as a microcosm of place, and the most effective operators treat it as such.

Store formats and category strategy: Aelia Duty Free and beyond

The central commercial anchor in the departures zone is a 700 sq m Aelia Duty Free store. Its product mix reflects both global travel retail categories and locally‑relevant tastes. The traditional heavy hitter—tobacco—remains the largest category. Beauty follows closely and has benefited from increased space following a recent expansion. Luxury bays, consumer electronics, toys and fashion round out the offer. The merchandising approach blends centrally purchased global bestsellers with locally curated selections chosen by the regional Lagardère team.

Beauty has been a major focus. Brands invested heavily to secure prominent positions, and the expanded footprint has allowed niche and premium labels to flourish alongside mainstream lines. For duty free operators, beauty delivers high margins and impulse pull; in Dakar, the segment’s prominence also reflects consumers’ aspiration and the desire among Senegalese shoppers to buy prestige brands when travelling.

Electronics and consumer tech sit against a backwall, tailored to capture last‑minute, higher‑value buys. Luxury pieces share space with high‑end artisanal goods. The objective is clear: capture a range of shopping missions in one well‑designed retail environment so that a departing traveller, regardless of budget, finds a compelling product proposition.

The central Aelia store is complemented by Relay—a convenience and travel essentials format—that adds breadth to the off‑airside retail pipeline. Relay’s assortment varies from the main duty free, ensuring essential items, press and destination products are available to a wide passenger mix.

Category performance snapshot (observed trends)

• Tobacco: highest volumetric contribution.
• Beauty: largest growth since expansion; both mass prestige and niche European and regional brands perform strongly.
• Luxury and artisanal: high basket values in boutique settings.
• Consumer electronics: stable demand for accessories and travel tech.
• Convenience/Relay: steady footfall and frequency buys.

These category dynamics reflect larger travel retail economics: tobacco and beauty anchor profitability, while luxury and local handcrafted goods generate headline stories and incremental high‑value transactions.

CASE BI: An airside showcase for Senegalese luxury

CASE BI launched in early 2026 as a boutique dedicated exclusively to artisanal Senegalese fashion and accessories. The store is a deliberate repositioning of airport retail away from generic luxury to authentically local luxury. CASE BI’s roster includes handcrafted handbags, unique ready‑to‑wear pieces and bespoke jewellery. The boutique design emphasizes an upscale, intimate setting, encouraging deeper customer engagement and longer dwell times.

Commercial results validate the concept. Average basket spends of €1,000 are not uncommon, driven by a mix of local elites, regional travellers and international visitors seeking unique souvenirs or investment pieces. These are not mass market transactions. Buyers are paying for provenance, craftsmanship and limited availability—all delivered in a premium retail environment usually associated with global luxury houses.

CASE BI demonstrates several strategic points:

• Local luxury can command premium pricing when presented within an appropriate retail architecture.
• Airports offer a controlled, high‑traffic environment that supports discovery purchases for travellers with tight time windows.
• Curatorial merchandising—pairing product storytelling with skilled sales associates—elevates conversion.

Comparative note: CASE BI follows a growing global trend where airports curate boutiques for local designers. Examples include dedicated country pavilions and "designer discovery" boutiques in airports such as London Heathrow, Amsterdam Schiphol and Dubai. CASE BI is significant because it is curated around a single market’s artisanal production, not simply a regional rotation.

Képar Café: Hyper‑local F&B with measurable community impact

Képar Café illustrates how food & beverage can deliver both commercial and social returns. Introduced by Lagardère Travel Retail four years ago, the concept was designed as a “hyper‑localised” restaurant. In addition to its airside outlet, Képar now operates in Mauritania and at Yéba South, a motorway rest and service area near Dakar Airport.

Operational model

• Menus developed by local chefs, ensuring dish authenticity and local ingredient sourcing.
• Design and furniture produced by local craftsmen, keeping capital flow within the community.
• Staffing recruited primarily from the surrounding village of Yéba, creating new employment opportunities.

The café’s culinary offer showcases dishes such as locally inspired chicken and rice, but its significance extends beyond plating. The business model embeds skills transfer—training local staff in hospitality, kitchen disciplines and service etiquette. Local chefs involved in menu design gain retail catering exposure and product development experience. Artisans who build furniture and fittings secure recurring contracts and visibility.

Community testimony reinforces the model’s social value. Mayor Alioune Pouye of Sebikotane described the café as a source of employment and dignity. Local workers reported improved living standards thanks to a living wage, with benefits passing to families and the broader community. These are tangible outcomes of linking a corporate concession with localized employment practices.

Képar’s approach contrasts with conventional quick‑serve concessions that rely heavily on imported supply chains and external staff. Instead, it creates a virtuous circle: local sourcing reduces lead times and transport costs while strengthening the airport’s brand as a gateway to authentic Senegalese hospitality.

Operational lessons

• Hyper‑local F&B can achieve scale when replicated across non‑airport sites (motorway rest areas, hotels).
• Training and skills transfer are essential to sustaining quality and preserving the integrity of local gastronomy.
• Community buy‑in—from local authorities to craft cooperatives—ensures long‑term supply chain resilience.

Teranga as a commercial asset: Cultural hospitality in retail experience

Teranga, a Wolof expression of hospitality, underpins visitor experience across Senegal. The concept appears as more than a cultural trope; it drives service design. Staff interactions in stores and cafés emphasize warmth, welcome and a sense of belonging. These seemingly intangible qualities shape repeat visits and word‑of‑mouth recommendations.

Service elements reflecting Teranga

• Proactive greetings and attentive but unhurried customer engagement.
• Staff trained to narrate product provenance, enhancing storytelling value for artisanal goods.
• Community events—pop‑ups, maker meet‑and‑greets—bringing local creators into the retail space.

Teranga contributes to conversion in a measurable way. When passengers perceive service as genuine rather than scripted, willingness to pay for higher value items increases. CASE BI and Képar Café both leverage this dynamic: luxury customers appreciate a personal narrative around provenance, and F&B patrons respond to sincere hospitality.

Teranga extends to airport leadership. AIBD Director General Cheikh Mamadou Abiboulaye Dieye articulates a vision of the airport as a regional hub that preserves hospitality standards even as throughput expands. That balance between scale and service will determine whether Dakar’s commercial evolution enhances or dilutes local identity.

Airport ambitions: AIBD’s growth plan and commercial land assets

Aéroport International Blaise Diagne positions itself as a future regional hub. Current ambitions include more than trebling passenger volumes to approximately 10 million. Achieving that requires coordinated action across airlines, infrastructure, route development and commercial strategy.

Key elements of the airport’s plan

• Route expansion: strengthening connections within Africa and to Europe, the Middle East and the Americas.
• Infrastructure scaling: iterative improvements to terminal capacity, ground handling and connectivity.
• Non‑aeronautical revenue growth: maximizing retail, rental and land asset monetization.

Airport leadership recognizes commercial activity as a lever to support aviation growth. Retail concessions like Lagardère’s are central to that equation: well‑executed duty free and F&B offerings both generate direct revenue and improve passenger experience, which bolsters the airport’s attractiveness to carriers.

Land assets present long‑term opportunities. AIBD controls extensive land parcels that can host logistics parks, hospitality clusters and mixed‑use developments. Such projects create new revenue streams and economic multipliers by attracting supply chain activity, cargo facilities and business tourism.

Challenges to the hub ambition

• Connectivity gaps: feeder traffic is critical for hub formation; some regional markets remain under‑served.
• Cost structures: bilateral air service agreements and airport charges influence carrier decisions.
• Political and macroeconomic variables: regional stability and currency fluctuations affect demand.

AIBD’s leadership frames the airport’s trajectory as realistic, citing Dakar’s geographic advantage as a transatlantic and intra‑African connector. Successful commercialization will require aligning airline incentives with retail and hospitality improvements.

Scaling a regional strategy: Lagardère’s Africa expansion blueprint

Lagardère Travel Retail’s Africa network grew from zero to eight markets in under ten years. The regional CEO outlines bold targets: opening one new market per year and doubling business size within three to five years. Those targets will depend on a blend of new contracts, store investments and diversification into additional channels such as maritime and diplomatic retail.

Strategic levers

• Retail investment: expanding store footprints and elevating design standards to match global peers.
• Service enhancement: training and recruiting local talent to lift sales conversion and customer satisfaction.
• Diversification: entering adjacent channels and formats—maritime terminals, city centre concessions, diplomatic stores—leveraging the regional management team’s market knowledge.

The Dakar operation functions as a template. Its combination of local sourcing, in‑house brand development and community engagement offers a repeatable model for other West and Central African markets, provided the operator adapts to each destination’s cultural and logistical specifics.

Risks and mitigation

• Supply chain complexity: mitigating import constraints by developing local supplier ecosystems reduces vulnerability.
• Talent retention: creating clear career pathways, especially for under‑40 executives, fosters loyalty and leadership continuity.
• Regulatory environment: proactive engagement with local authorities smooths permitting and operational compliance.

A market‑by‑market approach that balances central purchasing power with local curation promises to preserve scale economies while tailoring offers to passenger expectations.

Building in‑house brands: From dining to retail

One distinguishing attribute of the Dakar division is the creation of in‑house brands tailored to regional markets. Képar Café is the best known of these, but Lagardère’s team has also developed dining concepts and retail formats that reflect local tastes.

Advantages of in‑house brands

• Differentiation: proprietary concepts reduce direct competition with multinational franchises.
• Margin control: owned brands allow greater pricing flexibility and margin retention.
• Cultural authenticity: internal development ensures brand narratives align with local identity.

Developing in‑house brands requires investment in product development, design teams and ongoing marketing. The payoff is a stronger emotional connection with travellers and a competitive shield against international chains seeking the same retail space.

Example outcomes

• Képar Café: established a replicable model that moved from airport to regional rest stops.
• CASE BI: a boutique concept amplifying local artisans through a dedicated, premium retail environment.

In‑house brands also create upstream benefits: demand for local raw materials and craft production strengthens local supply chains, which reduces lead times and supports cost control.

Workforce composition and talent empowerment

Dakar’s retail operation deliberately cultivates a workforce that reflects its community. Women hold senior roles alongside men. Young professionals—many under 40—occupy key decision‑making positions. This composition drives quicker decision cycles and brings cultural fluency to product selection and store experience.

Operational implications

• Faster innovation cycles: younger managers adapt more readily to new formats and digital tools.
• Inclusive culture: gender balance at senior levels supports more nuanced community engagement and employee development.
• Career pathway clarity: visible internal promotion signals a long‑term investment in local talent.

Training is central. Retail and hospitality require continuous skills development—visual merchandising, inventory management, customer relationship management and digital commerce integration. Lagardère’s investment in training has practical payoffs in higher productivity and lower turnover.

External recruitment complements internal development. For Képar Café, hiring from the Yéba community included basic hospitality training and structured career progression, avoiding the pitfall of one‑off employment with limited prospects.

Commercial results and shopper behavior

Observed shopper behavior in Dakar shows distinct traits. Local shoppers demonstrate strong preference for high‑quality, locally produced items that signify cultural authenticity. International travellers prioritize global prestige brands in beauty and luxury but are receptive to unique local items when presented with quality storytelling.

Sales drivers

• Provenance storytelling: explaining who made an item, where and how consistently boosts conversion for artisanal goods.
• Brand visibility: premium beauty brands that secured prominent positions after the Aelia expansion saw marked increases in sales.
• Boutique experience: CASE BI’s intimate environment facilitates high‑value transactions through personalised service.

Tobacco remains the largest category by volume, which aligns with many travel retail environments. However, the increased space for beauty and the success of local luxury indicate a shifting balance where curated, high‑margin categories can offset volume‑driven categories.

Digital integration is nascent but growing. Pre‑order and click‑and‑collect services, common in mature travel retail markets, remain underdeveloped but are viable near‑term opportunities to expand conversion and capture time‑sensitive shoppers.

Supply chain and procurement: balancing central purchasing with local selection

Lagardère combines central procurement with regional selection. This hybrid model ensures global brands benefit from scale purchasing while local teams select artisans and niche brands that resonate in market.

Operational model

• Central purchasing ensures competitive prices for global SKUs, especially beauty and tobacco.
• Regional selection tailors assortments to local tastes and ensures the inclusion of artisanal products.
• Local sourcing reduces import friction and supports social procurement policies.

Challenges include ensuring consistent quality among artisanal suppliers, integrating them into the invoicing and logistics systems, and forecasting demand for highly variable, limited‑edition products. Dedicated category managers and supplier development programs mitigate these risks.

Real‑world practice: many retailers managing multi‑market footprints employ this hybrid model. It preserves buying leverage for major brands while enabling market teams to differentiate through curated local products.

Community partnerships and governance

Successful community engagement rests on structured partnerships. Lagardère’s work in Yéba involved coordination with local governance and cooperative structures. Meetings with Mayor Alioune Pouye and GIE (Groupement d’Intérêt Économique) leadership demonstrated alignment between corporate goals and local development priorities.

Key governance elements

• Local stakeholder consultation: early engagement with municipal leaders and community associations ensures project legitimacy.
• Cooperative sourcing: aggregating artisans into cooperatives facilitates scaling, quality control and collective bargaining.
• Transparent employment practices: offering living wages and formal contracts avoids exploitative arrangements and improves retention.

These governance practices reduce reputational and operational risk while creating durable social value. They also position the airport and concessionaires as credible partners for donor agencies and public‑private initiatives seeking socio‑economic impact.

Challenges on the road to hub status

Ambitious commercial and aviation plans encounter structural challenges. Connectivity remains a primary constraint. For an airport to function as a hub, it must attract transfer passengers through coordinated airline schedules and competitive route economics. Infrastructure must keep pace with passenger growth without sacrificing service quality. Additionally, regulatory issues—slots, bilateral air rights and ground handling capacity—require government and industry collaboration.

Commercially, sustaining high standards across multiple sites hinges on supply chain reliability and talent availability. Local artisanal production can be subject to seasonality and capacity limits. Training programs and supplier development funds will determine whether local manufacturing can keep up with scaled retail programs.

Finally, geopolitical and macroeconomic variables—currency volatility, regional stability and global demand cycles—remain outside the control of airport and retail managers. Scenario planning and flexible commercial models can mitigate exposure.

What success looks like: metrics and milestones

For Lagardère and AIBD, success will be measured across commercial, operational and social dimensions.

Primary commercial metrics

• Retail sales per passenger and per square meter.
• Average basket value, especially for boutiques like CASE BI.
• Growth in non‑aeronautical revenue as a share of total airport income.

Operational milestones

• Passenger throughput growth towards the 10 million target.
• Expansion and commissioning of infrastructure aligned with peak demand forecasts.
• Enlarged regional network for Lagardère—new markets opened at the targeted pace.

Social and community indicators

• Number of jobs created locally and progression pathways for employees.
• Volume and value of procurement from local suppliers and artisans.
• Measurable improvements in community livelihoods tied to airport commercial activity.

These metrics create a balanced scorecard. Commercial vitality supports operational investment, which in turn creates more opportunities for community engagement—a virtuous cycle when managed deliberately.

Replicability: Can Dakar’s model scale across Africa?

Dakar’s formula—local leadership, in‑house brands, community‑centred F&B and curated retail—has elements that are transportable but will require adaptation in different contexts. Markets vary in passenger profile, artisan capacity and governance. Successful replication depends on three capacities:

1. Local management empowered to curate product assortments and design concepts.
2. Investment in supplier development programs to build artisanal capacity.
3. A collaborative approach with local government to align employment, land use and regulatory frameworks.

In countries where craft traditions are strong and tourism flows consistent, the model will scale readily. In markets with weaker supply chains or less predictable demand, a phased approach—starting with hybrid offers that combine imported quality goods with a curated selection of local items—will perform better.

Examples of potential adaptation

• West African capitals with similar artisan cultures could host CASE BI‑style boutiques emphasizing regional cross‑border creators.
• Coastal ports with passenger ferry services provide an opening for maritime retail concepts adapted from airport models.
• Diplomatic retail, tied to embassies and government institutions, offers a controlled channel for premium local goods aimed at expatriate and official buyers.

Replication will be an iterative process. Dakar’s role as a regional experimental hub accelerates learning and provides a template for market entry and scaling.

The competitive landscape: airlines, airports and retail partners

As Dakar develops, competition for retail space and passenger spend will intensify. Airlines seeking commercial synergies will favor airports with robust non‑aeronautical offerings. Other retail operators and F&B groups will monitor Dakar’s test cases, seeking to replicate success where viable. For Lagardère, maintaining first‑mover advantage will require continual investment in store design, staff training and supplier networks.

Airlines’ perspective

• Better retail and dining contribute positively to passenger satisfaction scores, which feed into airline partnerships.
• Hub status depends on attractive transfer experiences; concessionaires that create compelling stopover offers strengthen the airport’s proposition.

Retail competition

• Global players will respond to proven concepts by proposing similar boutiques or local partnerships.
• Differentiation through authentic local curation and community integration becomes the moat protecting Dakar’s offerings.

From a commercial strategy perspective, continuous reinvention—periodic refurbishment, seasonal campaigns and curated pop‑ups—will retain relevance as passenger demographics evolve.

Digital and omnichannel opportunities

Digital tools offer low‑friction ways to extend retail reach and improve conversion. Several immediate opportunities present themselves for Dakar’s retail ecosystem:

• Click‑and‑collect: Pre‑order platforms allow passengers to reserve products for pickup, addressing time constraints.
• Mobile payments and wallet integration: Catering to both domestic and international payment preferences reduces friction at checkout.
• Storytelling through QR codes: Linking products to maker videos or artisan biographies enhances provenance narratives.
• Loyalty and targeted promotions: Frequent flyers and regional travellers can be incentivized through tailored offers.

Implementing omnichannel solutions requires investment in inventory visibility and fulfillment systems. Pilots in high‑demand categories (beauty, luxury) can prove the business case before wider rollout.

Governance, regulation and stakeholder alignment

Retail success sits at the intersection of private initiative and public policy. Airport authorities, concession holders and municipal governments must align on long‑term objectives. Transparent contracting, capacity planning and stakeholder engagement reduce conflict and enable coordinated growth.

Critical governance tasks

• Long‑term concession frameworks that reward operators for capital investment and community engagement.
• Local content policies that stipulate measurable procurement and employment targets.
• Joint marketing initiatives to promote Dakar as a destination, linking airport retail to tourism boards and city promoters.

Such alignment transforms retail spaces into instruments of regional economic strategy rather than isolated commercial endeavors.

What passengers experience: the retail journey at AIBD

A passenger’s journey through the Dakar departures terminal now includes several curated moments:

1. Arrival at the Aelia Duty Free: a large, well‑merchandised store with a clearly signalled local products zone framed by the baobab motif.
2. Discovery of niche beauty and electronics at strategic points: a mix of impulse and considered purchase opportunities.
3. CASE BI boutique: an intimate luxury environment for artisanal goods—time taken to try and buy is rewarded with high‑touch service.
4. Képar Café or Relay: options for local food or essentials depending on dwell time and mission.

The retail flow is deliberate, designed to meet a range of passenger missions—from quick essentials to considered luxury purchases. Staff embody Teranga, adding warmth and authenticity that extends beyond product offerings.

Measuring impact: commercial returns and social dividends

The commercial returns from Dakar’s retail evolution are visible in increased category performance and elevated basket spends in boutique contexts. The social dividends—from training, employment and supplier development—are equally tangible. Local leaders report improved livelihoods and a sense of pride in seeing Senegalese products elevated to an international audience.

Investors and concessionaires should treat social outcomes as part of commercial performance. Community goodwill protects brand reputation and supports smoother expansion. AIBD’s ambition to scale passenger volumes benefits directly from a retail ecosystem that enhances the airport’s attractiveness and supports repeat travel.

Looking ahead: short‑term priorities and long‑term bets

Short‑term priorities

• Consolidate the expanded Aelia Duty Free footprint and optimize product mix based on post‑expansion sales data.
• Scale digital pilots—click‑and‑collect and mobile payments—to increase conversion and meet passenger convenience expectations.
• Deepen supplier development programs to ensure artisan capacity can meet growing boutique demand.

Long‑term bets

• Replicate Dakar’s boutique and F&B models in other West African markets and maritime channels.
• Leverage airport land assets to develop mixed‑use clusters that complement retail and drive year‑round revenue.
• Establish Dakar as a discovery platform for West African designers and food entrepreneurs, using the airport as a launchpad for international exposure.

These priorities balance immediate commercial optimization with the strategic investments required to sustain regional growth.

FAQ

Q: What is the size of the main departures duty free store at Dakar? A: The Aelia Duty Free departures store occupies approximately 700 square metres and combines global brands with locally curated products.

Q: What is CASE BI? A: CASE BI is an airside luxury boutique launched in early 2026 that showcases artisanal Senegalese brands in fashion, accessories and jewellery. The boutique design and curated selection aim at high‑value purchases, with basket spends often reaching €1,000 for premium items.

Q: What is Képar Café and why is it significant? A: Képar Café is a hyper‑local food & beverage concept introduced by Lagardère Travel Retail four years ago. It features menus created by local chefs, furniture produced by local craftsmen and staff predominantly hired from the Yéba community. The café combines culinary authenticity with measurable community employment impact.

Q: Who leads Lagardère Travel Retail in West, Central & East Africa? A: Sountou Bousso serves as CEO of Lagardère Travel Retail West, Central & East Africa. He has led the division since 2020 and aims to expand the network by opening one new market per year and doubling the business within three to five years.

Q: What role does AIBD play in regional aviation ambitions? A: Aéroport International Blaise Diagne aims to position Dakar as a regional hub, targeting passenger growth to about 10 million—more than three times current volumes. The airport intends to expand both aeronautical capacity and non‑aeronautical revenue, leveraging concession performance and land assets.

Q: How does the retail strategy benefit the local community? A: The strategy prioritizes local sourcing, cooperative procurement and hiring practices. Examples include training local staff for hospitality roles, commissioning local artisans for furniture and fittings, and promoting Senegalese designers through boutique platforms like CASE BI. These initiatives generate employment, preserve craft traditions and raise incomes.

Q: Can this model be replicated in other African airports? A: The model is transferable but requires adaptation. Success depends on empowered local management, supplier development investments and supportive local governance. Where those elements exist, similar boutique and hyper‑local F&B concepts can scale effectively.

Q: What are the main retail categories driving revenue at Dakar? A: Tobacco remains the largest category by volume. Beauty is a strong performer and has grown significantly due to increased space and brand investment. Luxury artisanal goods, consumer electronics and convenience retail also contribute meaningfully.

Q: Are there digital services available for shoppers at Dakar airport? A: Digital services such as click‑and‑collect and mobile payments are under development. Pilots and phased rollouts are logical near‑term initiatives to improve convenience and capture time‑pressed travellers.

Q: Who should retailers or artisans contact to explore opportunities at Dakar? A: Prospective partners typically engage with the airport authority for space and permitting questions and with concession operators—such as Lagardère Travel Retail—for merchandising and business development inquiries. Local chambers of commerce and municipal authorities can provide guidance for community partnerships and supplier development.

Q: What challenges remain for Dakar to achieve hub status? A: Critical challenges include improving regional connectivity, aligning airline schedules for transfer traffic, expanding and modernising infrastructure without reducing service quality, and managing regulatory and economic variables that influence route development.

Q: How does the concept of Teranga influence customer experience? A: Teranga—an ethos of warmth, hospitality and generosity—shapes staff behaviour and service design. It enhances authenticity and customer engagement, which translate into higher conversion rates and stronger passenger satisfaction.

Q: What evidence suggests the retail changes are commercially successful? A: Increased category prominence for beauty post‑expansion, high average basket spends in CASE BI, and the continued investment in store designs indicate positive commercial performance. The airport and retailer cite these as justification for further expansion and replication.

Q: How does Lagardère balance global brands with local curation? A: Lagardère uses a hybrid procurement model: central purchasing secures competitive pricing and availability for global SKUs, while regional teams curate local and artisanal selections to maintain cultural relevance and differentiation.

Q: What are the environmental implications of the local sourcing strategy? A: Local sourcing reduces some transport emissions by shortening supply chains and supports circular economic models when materials are locally available. Incorporating sustainability criteria into supplier development can amplify environmental benefits and meet rising consumer expectations.

Q: Where can visitors experience these retail and F&B concepts? A: Travelers passing through Aéroport International Blaise Diagne can visit the Aelia Duty Free store, CASE BI boutique and Képar Café in the departures area. Képar Café also operates at the Yéba South motorway rest area and in select markets such as Mauritania.

Q: How does the airport measure social impact from these initiatives? A: Social impact is tracked through employment numbers, procurement volumes from local suppliers, and qualitative indicators such as improved household incomes and community testimonials. Structured reporting helps align commercial goals with social outcomes.

Q: What will be the next visible retail developments at Dakar? A: Near‑term priorities include optimising the expanded duty free layout, scaling digital retail pilots, and developing the boutique and F&B formats in new locations. Further commercial announcements will depend on concession renewals and strategic partnerships.

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This profile of Dakar’s airport retail scene shows a deliberate strategy: anchor global categories while elevating local artisans, embed community impact in F&B concepts, and use culture‑driven service to enhance passenger experience. The result is a compelling proof that airports can function as platforms for economic development and cultural expression, not merely points of transit.