Months after GAMCEL employees raised concerns over unpaid salaries, the Gambian government has secured a $10 million World Bank bailout to cover their arrears. Finance Minister Seedy Keita confirmed that the funds, part of a broader budget support grant, were used to pay staff for December 2024 and January 2025. However, with GAMCEL still operating at a financial loss, employees fear the crisis is far from over. More in the report.

Government arrears totalling over D248 million to NAWEC are undermining the capability of the only national water and electricity company from functioning properly. The list of institutions in arears includes MDAs, SOEs, and Local Councils. More in this report.

In his quest to highlight The Gambia Government’s efforts to promote University education, the Minister for Information, Media and Broadcasting Services claimed that the government “spends D33 million” annually to shuttle University of The Gambia (UTG) students to and from the new Faraba Banta Campus. Our researchers have perused budget documents and received information from the Ministry of Finance proving the Minister’s claim are false.

The National Water and Electricity Company (NAWEC) remains in dire financial straits as its losses continue to mount, raising concerns about its sustainability and impact on the national economy. More in the report.

The Gambia Telecommunications Company (GAMTEL) is grappling with a severe financial crisis, burdened by nearly D197 million in unpaid debts. More in this report.

As the government struggles to balance revenue collection and expenditure, a concerning trend persists with debt servicing continuing to consume a substantial portion of the national budget. More in the report.

This publication interrogates the question of whether Parliament and the Executive have violated the law with regards to budget implementation by making reference to legal provisions and highlighting instances when this legal requirement has been ignored. This leaves the door open for waste, fraud, and abuse to continue unabated in The Gambia.

President Adama Barrow’s recent claim that The Gambia recorded over 233,000 tourist arrivals in just three months has been debunked by official data. A fact-checking investigation reveals that the actual number is significantly lower, casting doubt on the government’s projections for the 2024-2025 tourist season. More in the report.

While The Gambia’s Information Minister claimed that fiscal and monetary policies have led to a dramatic reduction in onion prices, our investigation found that the actual market prices are still much higher, undermining the minister’s statement. More in this FactCheck.

As The Gambia pushes forward with its Recovery-Focused National Development Plan (RF-NDP) 2023-2027, economic hurdles threaten progress. Rising debt, high inflation, and sluggish growth overshadow efforts to achieve stability and poverty reduction. With two years left in the plan, can the government turn the tide, or will the RF-NDP remain an unfulfilled ambition?