Journalists in Banjul

Global Briefs: Student Protesters Set France Ablaze

Reporting style, Informative: Primarily factual reporting, with some attributed interpretations and criticism.

Political context, Centre: A multi-country news roundup presents events and competing perspectives without a clear partisan editorial position.

A roundup reports that protests over staffing and school conditions in France spread to more than 500 schools, prompting clashes, mass arrests, and accusations that Jean-Luc Mélenchon’s party is encouraging unrest. Francis Halzen won the Nobel Prize in Physics for work that led to the IceCube Neutrino Observatory. Elsewhere, the Dominican Republic partially lifted restrictions on Haiti’s soccer team; Yemen’s renewed civil war has brought Houthi advances, displacement, and strikes on Saudi Arabia; Ghana began enforcing a ban on preaching and hawking on buses; and Indonesian wildfires caused unhealthy haze in Singapore and school closures in Malaysia.

Global Briefs: Flamingo frustration

Reporting style, Informative: Primarily factual reporting, with limited evaluative framing around protests, political decisions, and human-rights concerns.

Brief reports cover protests in Albania against a proposed luxury development in a protected wetland linked to Jared Kushner and Ivanka Trump; the AfD’s strong state-election result in Germany and renewed debate over the political firewall against the far right; Mongolia’s fuel shortages and efforts to diversify imports; Egyptian television host Sarah Khalifa’s death sentence in a drug-trafficking case, which she plans to appeal; Togo’s support for the Equal Earth map projection; and the discovery of a largely intact Chimú mausoleum in Peru.

Gambian Domestic Workers to Saudi Arabia Offered $200 Monthly; Spain and Dubai Yet to Be Announced

Reporting style, Informative: The article presents factual information about the agreements and discussions without much subjective interpretation.

The Gambian government is working on bilateral labour agreements with Saudi Arabia and Spain to facilitate employment opportunities for Gambian workers. The Saudi agreement offers domestic workers a monthly salary of $200, covering food, housing, and medical expenses. The Spain agreement involves recruiting 50 workers for fruit picking, with further phases dependent on the trial's success. Recruitment agencies GAMJOBS and Outsourced are processing applications, with a limited number of visas issued so far. The agreements have been ratified by The Gambia's National Assembly, and discussions continue to finalize details, including pay scales for Spain.

Fact-Check: Gambian Lawmakers' Claim on Press Freedom Under Barrow Administration

A report presented by Gambian lawmakers to the ECOWAS Parliament claimed significant achievements in press freedom under the Barrow administration, stating no journalist was tortured, imprisoned, or any media house closed or burnt since 2016. However, this claim is contradicted by several incidents. In January 2020, two journalists were arrested and two media houses closed during a protest. The Public Utilities Regulatory Authority also threatened punitive action against media houses in 2021, which was later retracted after advocacy pushback. Additionally, there were reports of a journalist being assaulted by a presidential photographer and another by a prison warden, with no subsequent investigations. These incidents, detailed in the Gambia Press Union's reports, demonstrate that the claim made by the lawmakers is false.

Nationwide Campaign Urges Gambians to Uphold Civic Responsibility Before December 5 Election

Reporting style, Informative: Predominantly factual reporting, with advocacy-oriented appeals promoting civic participation, tolerance, and peaceful elections.

Political context, Centre: The article reports on an electoral civic-education campaign in a largely neutral tone without endorsing a political party or ideology.

The National Council for Civic Education, supported by the EU-UNDP GREAT Initiative, has begun a nationwide campaign ahead of The Gambia’s December 5, 2026 presidential election. The outreach promotes informed voting, civic rights and responsibilities, electoral codes of conduct, political tolerance, and peaceful participation. Sessions have reached communities in the Central River and Upper River regions, where local leaders welcomed the initiative and urged citizens to reject tribal discrimination, protect national unity, and participate actively in upcoming elections. The campaign emphasizes that credible and inclusive elections are central to democracy and good governance.

Finance Ministry Reports: Non-Tax Revenue Hits D485.92 Million; Debt Interest Down D212.73 Million

Reporting style, Factual: Predominantly factual reporting based on government budget and revenue figures, with limited interpretive commentary.

The Gambia’s non-tax revenue fell 58% year on year to GMD 485.92 million in the first quarter of 2026, largely because of the absence of a major Central Bank dividend recorded in 2025 and the exclusion of third-party revenues from government accounts. GRA non-tax revenue also declined 25% to GMD 99.71 million. Government Local Fund expenditure decreased 3% to GMD 7.87 billion, while spending on goods and services, subsidies and transfers, and personnel generally increased. Debt interest payments fell 14% to about GMD 1.08 billion in domestic interest costs, but capital expenditure dropped 36% to GMD 738.74 million, indicating slower early-year implementation of development projects.

Another Cruise Ship Arrives in The Gambia

Reporting style, Informative: Primarily factual reporting, with mildly promotional language about the tourism and economic benefits of the cruise ship's arrival.

The luxury expedition cruise ship SH Diana, operated by Swan Hellenic, arrived at Banjul Sea Port on September 18, 2026, carrying 138 passengers. The Gambia Tourism Board and Gambia Tours welcomed the vessel, whose visit is expected to support local tour operators, guides, transport providers, artisans and surrounding communities while highlighting the country’s potential for cruise tourism.

The Gambia Woos More Nigerian Tourists at Akwaaba 2026

Reporting style, Informative: Mostly factual reporting, though it includes promotional descriptions of The Gambia as a tourism destination.

The Gambia is seeking to attract more Nigerian tourists and deepen tourism, travel and business cooperation with Nigeria. At the 22nd Akwaaba African Travel Market in Lagos, Tourism Minister Abdoulie Jobe and Gambia Tourism Board Director General Ida Jeng Njie invited Nigerian travellers, travel companies, influencers and media representatives to promote the country. The delegation highlighted shared historical and cultural ties, along with The Gambia’s beaches, heritage sites, cuisine, hospitality and entertainment, as it positions the country as a strategic tourism partner for Nigeria.

Gambia’s Record Remittances Make up Over a Third of GDP

Reporting style, Informative: Mostly factual economic reporting with minor interpretive statements

Remittance inflows to The Gambia reached a record $775.6 million in 2024, accounting for 31.5 percent of GDP, driven by lower transfer costs, fintech expansion and increased use of formal channels. Central Bank governor Buah Saidy highlighted remittances as a critical contributor to household welfare and economic stability, often surpassing traditional foreign currency sources. Finance Minister Seedy Keita noted stable economic growth supported by infrastructure investment, agricultural productivity, tourism recovery and resilient remittances. Long‑term data shows a sustained upward trend in remittance inflows since 2017.

South Africa's Winnie Mandela Dies at 81

Reporting style, Informative: Mostly factual reporting with minor subjective remarks from quoted individuals

Winnie Madikizela-Mandela, a key figure in South Africa’s anti-apartheid struggle and former wife of Nelson Mandela, died at age 81 after a long illness. Her family and prominent figures, including Archbishop Desmond Tutu, praised her as an iconic and resilient leader who sustained the liberation movement during years of state repression. Born in Bizana in 1936, she remained a central symbol of resistance while her husband and other ANC leaders were imprisoned, and her death was widely reported across South Africa.

Jammeh’s U.S. Mansion Funds Are Ready. Victims May Get Far Less.

Reporting style, Informative: Primarily factual reporting with some interpretive analysis regarding missing funds and government actions.

The United States is preparing to transfer proceeds from the sale of former Gambian president Yahya Jammeh’s $3.4 million mansion, but the expected amount of $2.5 million is significantly lower than the purchase price, raising questions about deductions and transparency. The funds are intended for a long-delayed reparations process for victims of Jammeh’s regime, yet years of budget allocations and asset recoveries have yielded little actual compensation. Despite claims that D1.4 billion was generated from Jammeh’s seized assets, officials cannot clearly account for the funds, and the dedicated account at the Central Bank has reportedly reached zero. Only D51 million—largely from Senegal—has been disbursed to victims to date. Hundreds of victims continue to await compensation, while at least 174 have died since the truth commission concluded. The newly established Reparations Commission says it is finalizing criteria for payments, while officials expect the U.S. mansion proceeds to provide crucial financing once formally transferred.

FactCheck: Did Total Salaries Increase by 110% Under President Barrow’s Leadership?

Reporting style, Informative: The article provides a factual analysis of salary increases under President Barrow's leadership, supported by budget figures and expert verification.

The article examines the claim that total salaries increased by 110% under President Adama Barrow's leadership, as stated by Finance Minister Seedy S. Keita during the 2025 budget presentation. It details the proposed 30% salary increase for 2025 and the rise in transport and residential allowances. The fact-checking process involved analyzing budget figures from 2017 to 2025, confirming that personnel emoluments, including wages and allowances, have indeed increased significantly. The analysis was verified by an economist and a senior official at the Ministry of Finance and Economic Affairs.

TAT Editorial: Dr. Ceesay’s Lie About Journalists Will Not Hide the Blackouts

Reporting style, Opinionated: Complete opinion: a strongly worded editorial that condemns the information minister and argues for independent journalism and government accountability.

Political context, Centre-left: Supports press freedom, democratic accountability and public services while strongly criticizing the government’s handling of the blackout crisis.

The editorial condemns Information Minister Ismaila Ceesay for accusing journalists of inciting violence by reporting protests over prolonged electricity blackouts. It argues that the outages, underinvestment and broken promises—not independent media—caused public anger, and warns that attacks on the press threaten The Gambia’s post-2017 democratic and press-freedom gains. The piece calls on the government to acknowledge service failures, distinguish reporting from organizing protests and provide citizens with reliable electricity.

Five Years of Truth: The Alkamba Times’ Journey of Fearless Journalism

Reporting style, Interpretive: Strongly positive first-person anniversary editorial praising the publication’s mission, achievements and future direction.

Sainey M.K. Marenah marks The Alkamba Times’ fifth anniversary by recounting its growth since 2021 into a widely read Gambian digital news outlet. The publication highlights its reporting on elections, constitutional reform, transitional justice, corruption, development and community issues, as well as initiatives celebrating women and other emerging leaders. Despite financial constraints and a 2024 lawsuit linked to a corruption exposé involving a government minister, the newsroom says it has maintained its independence through community support and crowdfunding. It credits its journalism with strengthening public discourse, countering misinformation and connecting Gambians at home and abroad, while pledging further investment in investigative reporting, training, digital storytelling and press-freedom advocacy.

President Adama Barrow inaugurates electricity expansion project in Kiang

President Adama Barrow of The Gambia inaugurated an electricity expansion project, 'Operation Lampolmala', to provide power to underserved communities, including the Kiang region. This project, supported by NAWEC, OMVG, ADB, and ECOWAS, aims to achieve universal electricity access by 2025. Kiang, historically an opposition stronghold, had been neglected by previous governments. The project, costing over $22.5 million, began in 2017 and covers 77 communities. Despite the progress, the cost of electricity meters and ongoing power purchases pose financial challenges for the impoverished residents. The article also touches on the political dynamics of development allocation and the potential benefits of rural electrification for education, health, and communication. The author, Ebrima Bah, provides an investigative look into the implications of this development for the local population.

14th OIC Summit - Development Season For Gambia

Reporting style, Balanced: Mix of factual reporting on economic data and development projects, with some subjective framing around government legacy and diplomatic aspirations

Political context, Centre: The article broadly supports the new Barrow government's diplomatic and development efforts without strong partisan framing, while critically referencing the Jammeh era's excesses

The Gambia is preparing to host the 14th OIC Summit in Banjul in November 2019, marking the country's most significant international event since the African Union Summit twelve years prior. President Adama Barrow's government views the summit as a major diplomatic and development opportunity, with large-scale infrastructure projects underway including a five-star hotel resort, presidential villas, an ultra-modern shopping mall, and an international conference centre. Barrow has made numerous high-level diplomatic visits to strengthen global partnerships, framing the country's challenges as a legacy of his predecessor Yahya Jammeh's mismanagement. Foreign Affairs Minister Ousainou Darboe championed a National Assembly motion to increase OIC summit frequency from every three years to every two, arguing it would benefit economically disadvantaged member states like Gambia. An OIC delegation led by Tariq Bakheet conducted a preparatory site visit in February, while 85 Gambian military personnel participated in a counterterrorism exercise in Saudi Arabia. The country faces significant economic challenges, including public debt of GMD 48 billion (approximately USD 1 billion), equivalent to 120% of GDP, persistent poverty rates of around 48%, and growing rural-urban inequality, underscoring the high stakes attached to the summit as a development catalyst.

Gambian University Instructor Detained for Newspaper Interview, Then Released

Political scientist Ismaila Ceesay was arrested in the Gambia on charges of 'incitement to violence' following an interview with a local newspaper, where he discussed the long-term security risks despite the presence of ECOMIG forces. He was released the next day without conditions after being detained for his comments on the security situation and the trust between the president and the Gambian army. The arrest sparked outrage and was condemned by various individuals and organizations, including the Gambia Press Union and the University of The Gambia Faculty and Staff Association, highlighting concerns over freedom of expression and academic freedom in the country. The incident reflects the ongoing challenges in the Gambia's transition from a dictatorship to a democracy that respects human rights.

Gambians Fear President Jammeh Is ‘Putting the Lives of Citizens at Risk’ With His Rejection of Election Results

President Yahya Jammeh of The Gambia has reversed his initial acceptance of the December 1 presidential election results, which he lost to Adama Barrow. Jammeh, in a televised address, criticized the electoral commission and called for new elections. This move has sparked outrage among Gambians on social media, with some accusing Jammeh of risking the country's peace and stability and others calling it treasonous. International bodies like the African Union, ECOWAS, and the European Union have condemned Jammeh's rejection of the results. The Senegalese foreign minister has called for a United Nations Security Council meeting to address the situation. Meanwhile, the military has increased its presence in the capital, and Jammeh has threatened to suppress public demonstrations.