Célian Chesnoy
Sales & Marketing Manager France
January 19, 2026
The 5 daily challenges faced by fleet managers in Senegal and Ivory Coast
In Africa, optimized fleet management has become a necessity for companies whose business relies on field operations.
In Senegal, as in Côte d'Ivoire, optimized fleet management has become a necessity for companies whose business relies on field operations. In Dakar, Abidjan, and many other operational areas, vehicles are no longer just a means of transportation: they are essential to service continuity, team safety, and economic performance.
For fleet managers, everyday life is often marked by complex trade-offs. Lack of visibility over vehicles, difficulty anticipating incidents, pressure on operating costs, increased safety requirements, and coordinating teams spread across multiple sites. These challenges are compounded by specific local realities: heavy urban traffic, long distances between sites, diverse vehicle uses, and sometimes unpredictable operational constraints.
The five major challenges facing fleet managers
In this article, we review the five major challenges facing fleet managers in Senegal and Côte d'Ivoire, and the best practices that can be used to address them in a practical way.
1. Lack of visibility on the actual use of vehicles
In Dakar, as in Abidjan, many fleet managers lack a clear overview of the daily use of their vehicles. Information is often reported in a partial, delayed, or declarative manner. This makes it difficult to know where vehicles are actually located, how they are being used, and whether they are being utilized optimally.
This lack of visibility leads to gradual abuses: unnecessary detours, prolonged downtime, non-work-related use, or difficulties in reconstructing events in the event of an incident. In dense urban contexts or multi-site operations, this lack of transparency greatly complicates management.
Best practices: A simple first step is to formalize clear rules for vehicle use and ensure that drivers understand them. Centralizing trip information, even in a basic way, already makes it possible to identify recurring deviations.
When visibility is insufficient, GPS tracking becomes a key tool for objectively assessing vehicle usage and supporting fleet manager decisions based on factual data rather than estimates.
In this context, GPS tracking solutions such as Fleeti Tracking enable fleet managers in Senegal and Côte d'Ivoire to access continuous visibility of their vehicles, adapted to local conditions on the ground.
"Before Fleeti, we had only a partial view of our fleet. Today, thanks to real-time GPS tracking, we know exactly where our vehicles are and can respond quickly."
— Logistics Manager, Distribution Company, Abidjan
2. Ensure the safety of drivers in the field
Driver safety is a major concern for companies operating in Dakar, Abidjan, or on interurban routes. Complex traffic conditions, fatigue, operational pressure, and risky behavior increase the likelihood of accidents.
For fleet managers, it is often difficult to identify dangerous behaviors before an incident occurs. Preventive actions are therefore reactive, triggered after an accident, rather than preventive.
Best practices: The first step is to establish a culture of safety based on awareness rather than punishment. Organizing regular meetings with drivers, reminding them of the rules of the road, analyzing incidents collectively, and setting up training sessions can already help reduce certain risks.
Some companies in Ivory Coast and Senegal rely on driving analysis and videotelematics tools, such as Fleeti Vision, to better understand risky situations and implement targeted preventive measures.
"With Fleeti, we have been able to improve the safety of our fleet in Dakar. GPS data, usage data, and the Fleeti Vision tool help us raise awareness among drivers in a constructive way."
— Fleet manager, service company, Dakar
3. Controlling fleet operating costs
Fuel, maintenance, repairs, vehicle downtime—fleet costs are numerous and often diffuse. In Abidjan, as in Dakar, the slightest deviation can quickly impact operational performance, especially when vehicle volumes increase.
Without reliable data, it becomes difficult to identify areas of excess cost and measure the real impact of corrective actions implemented.
Best practices: One initial lever is to regularly monitor fuel consumption and compare it with actual vehicle usage. Identifying the most expensive vehicles to operate often allows priorities to be quickly targeted.
Implementing preventive maintenance based on actual usage rather than theoretical deadlines also helps reduce costs and limit unexpected downtime.
4. Coordinate multi-site and dispersed operations
Many companies operate simultaneously in Dakar, Abidjan, and other regions. This geographical dispersion complicates team coordination and vehicle supervision.
Best practices: Centralizing fleet information, even at a basic level, is an essential first step.
A consolidated view also facilitates communication between field teams and operational managers.
Fleet management platforms such as Fleeti now make it possible to centralize vehicle data for operations spread across several countries or regions.
5. Transform data into operational decisions
Collecting data is not enough. Many fleet managers have information at their disposal, but struggle to use it in an operational way. The risk is then to generate dashboards that are rarely used or indicators that are disconnected from the field.
In Dakar, as in Abidjan, the challenge is to transform data into concrete actions that are useful on a daily basis.
Best practices: It is recommended to focus on a few key indicators that are truly useful for operational management. Sharing these indicators with the teams concerned helps to create a dynamic of continuous improvement.
Data must remain a decision-making tool that is easy to understand and directly applicable in the field.
The Fleeti approach
Fleeti's approach is based on the pragmatic use of vehicle data, designed to support the operational decisions of fleet managers. Our features are designed to meet the needs of businesses in the field, offering you tools tailored to your operational realities and making your daily life easier.
