SWIFT/BIC codes in Senegal

Finding a SWIFT code in Senegal

For Senegal our database holds 36 SWIFT/BIC codes. A BIC shows the banks handling a transfer exactly which bank is meant to get an international payment.

Select the bank below to view the head office code and any branch codes. Below the list you can read how codes from Senegal are built, how to send money there at a fair price and how to check a code before you pay.

Sending money to Senegal for less

A bank transfer to Senegal often costs rather more than the fee suggests. On top of the fee, correspondent banks can take a cut and, if currencies are converted, the bank often uses a less favourable rate than the real market rate.

Most of the cost usually sits in the exchange rate, rather than in the fee: banks convert at a rate with a margin built in. Compare the bank’s rate with the mid-market rate. The difference is your real cost.

Specialist money transfer services frequently offer rates closer to the mid-market rate. GoldexPay lists transfer services next to each other so you can see what actually arrives in Senegal for the same amount sent.

Incoming international payments in Senegal

Someone abroad who wants to pay you needs a few details from you, and missing ones are a common cause of delays. In practice that means: your name exactly as it appears on the account, your account number or IBAN, the SWIFT/BIC code of your bank and, often, your address.

Find your bank in the list above to check its code – your bank statement is the final word. Certain banks may also want your bank’s address; it does no harm to include it.

The amount you receive is often lower than what was sent. Charges on incoming payments differ from bank to bank – your bank’s price list tells you what applies. Agree with the sender who covers the fees before the money is sent.

Most SWIFT codes in Senegal: Banque Centrale des Etats de L'afrique de L'ouest

Among the 32 institutions we list, Banque Centrale des Etats de L'afrique de L'ouest holds the largest number of SWIFT/BIC codes in Senegal. Its main office uses BCAOSNDAXXX; that is usually the right code for a transfer.

How many codes a bank has says something about how it organises its payments than about how big it is. Paying someone at Banque Centrale des Etats de L'afrique de L'ouest? Go with BCAOSNDAXXX except when a specific branch code is requested.

Why a transfer to Senegal needs a SWIFT code

Senegal is not part of the SEPA area, the European zone for uniform euro payments. Payments from abroad normally go over the SWIFT network.

Depending on the country, accounts are identified by a domestic account number instead of an IBAN, sometimes with an extra bank or branch code. Ask the recipient which details their bank requires for payments from abroad – many banks give clear instructions for this. On the way to Senegal, a payment may go through correspondent banks that take a fee.

How SWIFT codes from Senegal are built

SWIFT/BIC codes use one international format: 8 characters, sometimes followed by three more. It starts with a four-letter bank code, followed by a two-letter country code and a two-character location code.

No matter which bank, every code from Senegal share the same fifth and sixth letters. A code with a different country code come from a bank abroad, even if the bank name looks familiar.

An 11-character code ends in three characters for a branch, where XXX means the head office. In most cases the head office code is fine, unless the recipient gives you a branch code.

When does money sent to Senegal arrive?

A SWIFT payment to Senegal usually needs one to a few business days, depending on the currency, the route and the banks involved. Transfers sent after the cut-off time or on a weekend or public holiday often start the next business day.

If a transfer is late, the sender should contact their own bank for a trace – the receiving bank often cannot see a payment that has not arrived. Save the payment confirmation until the recipient confirms.

About our data and how to check a code

The most reliable place for the right code is a document from the bank itself, such as a statement or the account page in online banking. If the code you have does not match our list, do not guess.

We collect SWIFT/BIC codes using publicly available data and update our list from time to time. Still, banks merge, rename themselves or change codes and our data may lag behind. Use this list as a reference, not as the final word: the bank details from the recipient come first. GoldexPay is not a bank.

Be wary of payment requests containing a new account, especially when they come by email. Before paying, confirm changed details by phone.