Government to Sell 80% of Gamcel Shares to YCell for D6.7 Billion Investment
MoCDE Minister Jabbi and YCell Branded Building
By Edward Francis Dalliah Jnr.
The Minister for Communications and Digital Economy, Hon. Lamin Jabbie, has informed lawmakers that 80% of Gamcel shares will be sold to Ycell under a proposed public-private partnership (PPP) agreement with the Government. According to Minister Jabbie, this deal involves “a complete network modernisation [and] the first direct payment we expect for 80% of the shares may go close to or above D800 million, and the remaining D6 billion will be invested in the infrastructure.”
This revelation was made on Wednesday, 10th December 2025, in response to an oral question in Parliament. The announcement confirms that the government is close to concluding a major restructuring agreement for the struggling state-owned telecom operator after years of announcing its intention to privatise it.
Minister Jabbie informed parliamentarians that following a request for proposals that attracted eight companies, YCell “emerged as the most responsive bidder with an investment proposal of D6.7 billion”, and they are waiting for “the green light on contract signing, subject to further Cabinet approval”.
Soon after the Minister revealed the proposed PPP while answering the question asked by the Member for Banjul Central, Hon. Abdoulie Njai, the Member for Wuli East, Hon. Suwaibou Touray, pressed the Minister to clarify whether the government intended to sell Gamcel entirely or retain a percentage share. In response, Minister Jabbie stated that 80% of the company would go to “the company that is investing the D6.7 billion” while 20% would be retained by the state, adding, “This is what is on the table for negotiation.”
Gamcel, once a competitive force in The Gambia’s telecommunications industry, has in recent years been crippled by financial losses, infrastructural decay, and mismanagement. Its declining performance has limited its ability to deliver reliable services and remain viable in a rapidly expanding telecom market.
Telecoms Market Share of The Gambia - 2022
As of 2022, the market share of Gamcel declined to 3.2%, Comium had 2.5%, while Africell and Qcell took the lead with 62.8% and 31.5% respectively. The proposed YCell deal is expected to revive the company, though questions remain about the capacity of the bidder. While the Minister provided no background on YCell, Askanwi’s earlier reporting in September revealed that Yonna Group and DK Telecoms were the two companies initially shortlisted from the eight that expressed interest.
Further investigation by this medium indicates that YCell appears to be a new entity linked to the Yonna Group. On 30th September 2025, Askanwi photographed a building in Kololi Tavern, previously occupied by Yonna Foreign Exchange Bureau, an entity under the Yonna Group, where a covered signboard bearing the name “YCell” was visible.
Additional research found a website under the name YCell, claiming to be “a leading GSM company dedicated to delivering reliable, fast, and secure communication services across the region.” The site shows individuals wearing Yonna-branded T-shirts, suggesting an affiliation with Yonna Group. However, YCell does not appear to have any established operational track record in the telecommunications sector.
The Yonna Group is a multi-sector enterprise with investments in agriculture, foreign exchange, and financial services. Public information on its expertise in telecoms remains limited, raising concerns about its readiness to take over 80% of the national operator.
Meanwhile, DK Telecoms, the other shortlisted bidder, has been operating in The Gambia’s telecommunications market for years, offering DSL, cable, fibre-optic, satellite, and fixed wireless internet services.
Askanwi will continue to monitor and report on developments surrounding this major national asset transfer as further details emerge.
YCell Website screegrab
