This means the West African nation will likely miss its goal of having a new programme in place by June.

The IMF's Senegal mission chief Edward Gemayel told a call for investors on Thursday that discussions on a new bailout programme, which would follow a decision on the waiver, are expected to begin in June or July, according to three people on the call.

The IMF froze its $1.8-billion bailout programme after Senegal's government, elected last year, revealed that the previous government had misreported economic data and that the country's debt was higher than previously thought.

Investors had been expecting a decision on a waiver before the end of April. Senegal's finance minister said in February the country hoped for a new programme by June.

Pushing back the timeline means Senegal will go longer before obtaining key financing and making critical, politically sensitive decisions on spending.

"The authorities are making every effort to secure the waiver," an IMF Spokesperson told Reuters on Thursday, noting that the earliest possible date for the IMF board to consider it would be May.

--Reuters--