Senegal Appoints Malick Mbaye as Director General of Customs
Senegal has appointed Malick Mbaye as Director General of Customs, following a career spanning more than two decades within the country’s customs administration. His appointment was formalised by Decree No. 2026-1724 of 21 September 2026.
Mbaye, a Principal Customs Inspector of Exceptional Class, holds a master’s degree in Economic Analysis and Policies from Cheikh Anta Diop University in Dakar. He joined the Corps of Customs Inspectors and Officers in 2002 after graduating from the National School of Administration (ENA).
From operational customs services to senior management
Mbaye began his career as an inspector and policy officer at the Directorate of Studies and Legislation, where he worked from 2002 to 2004. He then moved to the Dakar North Port Customs Office as an inspector before becoming Head of the Economic Studies and Analysis Office in 2006.
Between 2007 and 2009, he headed the Office of Nomenclature and Taxation, initially within the same directorate and later under the Directorate of Regulation and International Cooperation.
In 2011, he became Assistant to the Director of Regulation and International Cooperation. Two years later, he returned to operational customs services as Head of the Dakar-Yoff Airport Customs Office.
He subsequently returned to the central administration as Technical Adviser to the Director General of Customs and later headed the Dakar Petroleum Customs Office, which was part of the former Regional Directorate for Petroleum Products and Specialised Units.
Regional and international customs expertise
Mbaye has also developed expertise in international customs standards. He is an accredited expert of the World Customs Organization (WCO) in the Harmonized System and was among the experts involved in developing the ECOWAS Common External Tariff.
In 2016, he was appointed Director of Regulation and International Cooperation, representing Senegal’s Customs Administration at various ECOWAS technical meetings and committees.
In 2020, he took charge of the Directorate of Customs Intelligence and Investigations. Following an organisational restructuring, the directorate became the Directorate of Customs Investigations (DED), which he headed from January 2023.
Later that year, he was appointed Coordinator of the Directorate General of Customs, supporting the Director General in the management of the administration.
Focus on customs reform and capacity building
During his career, Mbaye has been involved in several reform programmes within Senegal’s customs administration, including changes to the Customs Code, staff regulations and the organisational structure of the Directorate General of Customs.
He has also worked as a trainer at the National School of Administration and the Customs School, contributing to the professional development of customs officers and managers between 2008 and 2022.
His career has earned him several distinctions, including the Officer of the National Order of Merit, the Customs Medal of Honour and the WCO Certificate of Merit.
