In late September 2025, the Mayor of Kanifing Municipality, Talib Ahmed Bensouda, published a video announcing that his council had secured $450,000 (approximately GMD33 million) from the Mayors Migration Council’s Global Cities Fund (GCF)—to support small businesses for migrant returnees.

This sparked criticism from his opposition, who pointed to an even bigger $26 million (D1.82 billion) project announced by the KMC Mayor back in October 2024. The critics highlight that the “failure of the billion-dalasi project” is proof that Mayor Bensouda’s latest announcement can’t be trusted.

More in the Factcheck.

"I thought I’d find a job as soon as I landed, and my life would be perfect, just like the people I saw on Facebook," said Amadou Camara, a young Gambian who recently returned from a failed migration attempt. His story is not unique. For many Gambians, the dream of a better life in Europe has been shaped by social media and the myths that circulate on these platforms. However, the reality of migration is far different from the glamorous depictions that flood their feeds. More in this feature publication.

A document circulating from the U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) indicates that 1,035 Gambians residing in the States have “final orders of removal.” Our researchers have dug deep to contextualise the number of unauthosied African-born immigrants residing in the U.S. and the number of arrests, detentions, and removals of Gambians that have been made by ICE from 2021 to October 2024. More in this feature publication.

The death toll among irregular migrants trying to reach Spain has risen dramatically by 58% from 2023 to 2024, reflecting the escalating risks faced by people fleeing poverty, conflict, and instability. More in this feature report.