473 Days in Dakar: I’ve Figured This City Out! 🇸🇳

After 473 days in Dakar, Senegal—from clueless newbie to local insider—I’m spilling the tea on this city! Perfect for expats, traders, or entrepreneurs eyeing Africa. 📍 What’s Dakar Really Like? Uneven development: Beachside villas next to half-built concrete shells (💰 = construction often stalls). Rent is wild: A bare apartment (no fridge, bed, or water heater) costs 150K–300K XOF/month. High cost of living: Most daily goods are imported—especially from Yiwu & Guangzhou, China! 🏬 Where’s CHINA MALL? Two massive Chinese malls (both Fujianese-run) dominate Dakar’s retail scene: 1️⃣ CHINA MALL 1 📍 RUE MZ 77, Hann Maristes Near the port—ideal for wholesale/warehousing. Stocks tools, kitchenware, hardware—contractors & shop owners swarm here. 2️⃣ CHINA MALL 2 📍 *QG4F+C27, Yoff* In a residential hub (chaotic but lively!). Household essentials, cosmetics, cheap gadgets—perfect for family shopping. 🗺 Dakar Neighborhood Guide (For Newbies!) 🔴 Plateau: Downtown. Govt offices + banks. Good for work, bad for shops. 🔴 Colobane/Sandaga: Crowded traditional markets—best for small wholesale. 🔴 Hann Maristes: Logistics zone (CHINA MALL 1’s here). 🔵 Pikine/Thiaroye/Keur Massar: Outskirts = cheaper rent + local demand (CHINA MALL 2 nearby!). 🟢 Almadies/Ngor/Mamelles: Expat luxury zone—high-end, but low sales volume. 🎯 What Do Locals Actually Buy? Housewives: Rice cookers, buckets, mops. Youngsters: Makeup, headphones, phone cases. Workers: Tools, wires, lightbulbs. Traders: Bulk imports to resell. 📌 Chinese goods = CHEAP & ESSENTIAL here! 💬 Want to start a business or move here? Ask me anything! Let’s decode Africa’s gold rush together. 🌍💰 #TheRealAfrica #Senegal #Dakar #YiwuExport #AfricaBusiness #LifeInDakar 🚀🔥