A leading British research and analysis company with over 70 years’ experience which has accurately forecast election results in The Gambia has predicted that President Adama Barrow will win the 5th December presidential election but with a significantly reduced majority. Commenting on the elections in its special report, “Two Year Forecast: Gambia”, released a few […]
By Tabora Bojang The Minister of Finance and Economic Affairs Seedy Keïta will today table D66,784,494,709 government estimates, recurrent and expenditure for the fiscal year 2027 for consideration and approval by the National Assembly. It shows an increase of over D7.4 billion from last year’s D59.3 billion budget approved by the National Assembly. Out of […]
Elder statesman Pa Njie ‘Girigara’ has advised the head of state to return to the state the property he is developing on Atlantic Boulevard in Fajara. In an audio released over the weekend, Njie, a vocal supporter of President Adama Barrow, stated: “Your sycophantic supporters will tell you I do not honour and respect you. […]
Bakary ‘Bakso’ Jaiteh the general cordinator, APRC national mobiliser, has accused Pa Njie ‘Girigara’ of feigning to be an ally of President Barrow. Njie a prominent supporter of the president released an audio last week in which he advised him to give back to the state the land on which he is building a palatial […]
By Arret Jatta As the December presidential election approaches, United Democratic Party leader Ousainu Darboe and a delegation of party officials have travelled to the United Kingdom for a fundraising event. The visit is also expected to provide an opportunity for the UDP leadership to engage with Gambians in the diaspora and discuss the party’s […]
By Omar Bah Ecowas has dismissed speculations linking the rotation of its Senegalese contingent in The Gambia to the 5th December presidential election, insisting the movement is routine and has nothing to do with politics. A statement issued by the Ecomig force commander noted that the mission’s attention has been drawn to “many speculative and […]
By Aminata Kuyateh The National Health Insurance Authority (NHIA) ended a two-day stakeholder validation of its 2026–2030 Strategic Plan yesterday, with calls for stronger health financing, wider coverage and greater protection for Gambians from the cost of healthcare. The convergence brought together government officials, health providers, development partners and other stakeholders to review the NHIA’s […]
By Omar Bah A Gambian is among 19 men arrested in Spain for allegedly torturing and executing at least 50 migrants accused of witchcraft during a horror Atlantic crossing to Europe. Police in Gran Canaria confirmed the arrests after 248 survivors were rescued off the African coast and taken to Arguineguín, in the south of […]
A Paris court has dismissed former president Macky Sall’s claims against a website “nonamacky.org”. In the ruling, the court refused to block the site within French territory and also rejected the complaint regarding infringement of his image rights. The former head of state had initiated legal proceedings against the site’s host, several technical intermediaries, and […]
An imam at a mosque in Saly Carrefour is languishing in Mbour prison. He is accused of selling a non-existent plot of land in the Médine neighbourhood of Mbour to one I Bâ for 18 million CFA francs, and subsequently handing over forged administrative documents. In early January, Bâ met Imam M Faye through a […]
‘Examples of the Holy Prophet’s (sa) Extraordinary Trust in God’ After reciting Tashahhud, Ta’awwuz and Surah al-Fatihah, His Holiness, Hazrat Mirza Masroor Ahmad(aba) said that he would continue mentioning the Holy Prophet’s (sa) trust in Allah the Almighty. A Display of Courage After Plot to Kill the Holy Prophet(sa)His Holiness(aba) said that when the Holy […]
The West Coast Zonal Football Committee has initiated a number of water projects at football venues at towns around the region to improve sanitation and hygiene at the grounds. Each year the regional zonal committee organises a competition, West Coast Zonal Football Championship, competed among towns in the region with fixtures spread across the region. […]
By Olimatou Coker The Gambia has officially launched her first female amputee football team in a move aimed at promoting inclusion, empowering women and creating opportunities for female athletes to develop their talents in football. The initiative, known as the Gambia Amputee Female Football Association (Gafa), was launched with support from the European Union, the […]
Senegalese basketball is in mourning after two young players competing in the local league, Mouhamed Diouf, known as MD, and Momar Marigo, lost their lives in a traffic accident in Dakar. The news of Mouhamed Diouf’s death was announced by ASC Ville de Dakar, where the young point guard played. Nicknamed “MD,” the basketball player […]
By Omar Bah Gambia’s Special Prosecutor Martin Hackett recently met Senegal’s Minister of Justice and Keeper of the Seals, Me Moussa Sarr, in Dakar to push for stronger judicial cooperation between Banjul and Dakar. The meeting, held at the Ministry of Justice in Dakar, also included the Gambian Justice Ministry’s Special Legal Adviser Mariama Singhateh […]
Dear Editor,I, Ebrima Jaiteh, a Gambian native of Sankulay Kunda, Lower Fulladu West District, Central River Region, currently living in the Netherlands since 2024, wish to take this opportunity to extend my sincere gratitude to Baba Ousainu Darboe and his party militants, especially those who were with him on his familiarisation tour from URR, CRR, […]
The December 5 presidential election is shaping into a unique Gambian contest. Three leading contenders —Ousainu Darboe, Adama Barrow and Talib Ahmed Bensouda are all products of the United Democratic Party (UDP). Darboe is the founder and presidential candidate of the UDP. Barrow won in 2016 on a Coalition ticket supported by the UDP before […]
By Tabora Bojang The government has spent D5,062.052 on salaries and remuneration in the first half of this year, representing an increase of 7 percent compared to what is recorded in the same period last year. This figure also corresponds to 49 percent of the amount approved on personnel emoluments for the entire year of […]
By Omar Bah A group of concerned Gambians has petitioned the Inspector General of Police (IGP) and the Attorney General and Minister of Justice to urgently investigate serious allegations of sexual assault in Kombo Berending. In a formal appeal submitted to the security and justice authorities (seen by The Standard), the group calls for an […]
By Omar Bah The pending White Paper on the Local Government Commission of Inquiry is now a critical test of credibility for President Adama Barrow and his Cabinet, the National Front for Alliance and Advancement (NAFAA) leader told The Standard yesterday. In an exclusive interview with The Standard, NAFAA’s Interim President Ousainou Allen, said accountability […]
By Omar Bah Gambian teenager Gibbi Jallow survived a five-day pirogue journey from Senegal to the Canary Islands at 14. The Atlantic spared him. Weeks later, a wave on a beach in Fuerteventura broke his neck against the sand and left him tetraplegic. His story is now told in ‘Waves like Mountains’, a book by […]
The Executive Committee of the University of The Gambia Faculty and Staff Association (UTGFSA) has approved the establishment and appointment of a new UTGFSA Advisory Committee, which will provide strategic advice, institutional guidance and support to the Association in the discharge of its mandate. The Advisory Committee replaces the UTGFSA Taskforce Committee, an ad hoc […]
By Olimatou Coker The International Trade Centre (ITC), in collaboration with the Ministry of Tourism, Arts and Culture, the Ministry of Trade, Industry, Regional Integration and Employment and other stakeholders, Monday validated Green Public Procurement (GPP) guidelines for The Gambia’s tourism and creative industries. The workshop was held at Senegambia Beach Hotel and followed consultations […]
By Amadou Jadama just from Beijing Perched on Snake Mountain above the Yangte River, the Yellow Crane Tower has stood for nearly 1,800 years as one of China’s most beloved landmarks. More than a building, it is a story of myth, poetry and resilience that draws millions to Wuhan each year. Officials describe the tower […]
By Tabora Bojang Following the announcement of the transfer of USD 2.5M by the US from the sale of former president Jammeh’s house, for victims of the former dictator’s brutal regime, members of the victim community have welcomed the development and demanded a judicious use of the funds. The call comes at a time when […]
Dear Editor,Once again, for the umpteenth time, the National Assembly was said to have failed to meet on Thursday due to lack of a quorum. This is quite a serious lapse on this 6th Legislature, in particular, showing apparent lack of regard for the mandate they have been entrusted with. Considering the millions of public […]
Gambian politics has a familiar script: fierce principles before elections, shameless betrayals after. The latest episode — Essa Faal confirming an alliance with the NPP, the same administration he spent years denouncing as incompetent, corrupt and a betrayal of the TRRC is not an anomaly. It is the norm. Yesterday’s loudest critics become today’s eager […]
By Omar Bah Justice Minister Dawda Jallow has informed a meeting on the sidelines of the Organisation of Islamic Cooperation Conference in Jeddah that the International Court of Justice (ICJ) may deliver its long-awaited judgement in the Rohingya genocide case against Myanmar in October. During the meeting, Minister Jallow discussed the Rohingya crisis and progress […]
By Arret Jatta The Gambia For All (GFA) has formally signed an alliance agreement with the United Democratic Party (UDP), strengthening the UDP-led Gambia First Coalition ahead of the December 5 presidential election. The agreement was signed yesterday at the UDP Bureau in Manjai, with GFA representative Bolong Sonko and UDP leader Ousainu Darboe addressing […]
By Amadou Jadama On Tour Army Chief Lieutenant General Ousman Gomez has vowed to improve the living condition of soldiers across the country, revealing that lack of accommodation is the single biggest problem facing the force. Gomez was speaking to journalists on Thursday evening at Defence Headquarters in Banjul as he wrapped up his nationwide […]
By Tabora Bojang The Gambia Democratic Congress of Mamma Kandeh has said it welcomed the resignation of its administrative secretary Ebrima Nyang who quit over the party’s alliance with the ruling NPP. Nyang resigned on Sunday insisting that he will not support ‘an alliance that prioritises power over progress’. He further explained that his resignation […]
By Olimatou Coker The Gambia Reparations Commission, in partnership with the International Centre for Transitional Justice (ICTJ) and the Alliance of Victim-Led Organisations (AVLO), has launched a nationwide capacity-building programme to strengthen women victims’ access to gender-sensitive reparations. The seven-day programme, running September 14-20, 2026, is supported by the Canada Fund for Local Initiatives (CFLI) […]
By Olimatou Coker ActionAid International – The Gambia (AAITG), in collaboration with the European Union, SOS Children’s Villages and other stakeholders, Wednesday held Agroecology Forum 2026 at the Sir Dawda Kairaba Jawara International Conference Centre. Held under the theme “Action and Impact: Transforming Agriculture Through Agroecology and Equitable Fertiliser Access,” the forum brought together farmers, […]
Before the State, Part Three followed the office that signs for communal land back to its founder. The seat answers over the community’s head. This essay turns that seat. Start with why. An office the Crown built to answer upward will not learn to answer downward. You can school the seyfo and swear him to […]
By Ndey Jobarteh The announcement that APP-Sobeyaa has reached an agreement in principle with President Adama Barrow’s National People’s Party has left many Gambians disappointed. Across social media and private conversations, the same painful questions are being asked: Who can we trust? Can Gambian politicians ever be trusted? I understand this disappointment. When a political […]
Chelsea are among a number of top European clubs tracking highly-rated Gambian teenager Adama Jeng. The midfielder, still only 15, was impressive for Gambia’s Under-17 national team at the just concluded WAFU Zone A U-17 tournament in Senegal. The Gambian team, known as the Baby Scorpions, beat the hosts 5-3 on penalties to win the […]
Nigerian soldiers, who were deployed on peacekeeping missions in The Gambia, Sudan and Guinea-Bissau, and returned home four months ago, are still owed up to seven months allowances, despite the United Nations already releasing the funds. An urgent appeal from the soldiers to the Federal Government of Nigeria has exposed staggering arrears. According to Sahara […]
By Omar Bah The Central Bank of The Gambia (CBG) has ordered all commercial banks to immediately replace foreign workers with qualified Gambians. In a hard-hitting circular dated September 16, 2026, signed by Second Deputy Governor Dr Paul Mendy, the regulator gave banks an ultimatum to complete full transition to local talent by December 31, […]
By Omar Bah Alleged Jungler Sanna Manjang has been hauled before a military court in Banjul to face desertion charges. Manjang, accused of being a leading member of former president Yahya Jammeh’s death squad, appeared yesterday at the Senior Non-Commissioned Officers’ Mess at Fajara Barracks, where his court martial commenced. He faces a charge of […]
By Aminata Kuyateh The All Peoples Party-Sobeyaa (APP-Sobeyaa) of Essa Mbye Faal an ardent critic of the government has announced it has concluded agreement with the governing National People’s Party (NPP), “to contribute its principles and values to national development”. In a statement, APP-Sobeyaa said the decision follows consultations with its prospective alliance partner and […]
By Omar Bah The United States State Department has released its Exchange Visitor Skills List by Country, identifying 44 nations including The Gambia whose citizens could be required to spend two years in their home country before accessing certain US immigration benefits after finishing an exchange visitor programme. The list spans regions including Africa, Asia, […]
By Arret Jatta Two weeks after leading what became known as the candle light protest over acute power outage in the capital which spontaneously spread across the Greater Banjul Area, the National Assembly Member for Banjul North Modou Lamin Bah has hit back at criticisms from fellow lawmakers mainly from the governing NPP, who accused […]
By Olimatou Coker The death toll among recruits of Intake- 40 of the Gambia Armed Forces (GAF) has risen to 4, the latest casualty being one Mamudou Nyabally, from Niamina Jareng. In a statement shared with The Standard, the army confirmed Nyabally died on Friday, September 18 at the Edward Francis Small Teaching Hospital. He […]
By Tabora Bojang Veteran politician Halifa Sallah, one of the coordinators of the Team Gambia coalition, yesterday revealed that the group is going to adopt the successful 2016 coalition model whereby the flagbearer of the coalition will resign from his or her party to contest as independent candidate. Sallah told a press conference yesterday that […]
By Olimatou Coker The West African Network of Excellence for TB, AIDS and Malaria (WANETAM-4) has launched a five-year programme to strengthen research, training and health systems across West Africa. The launch, held at the African Princess Hotel, brought together researchers, health professionals, institutions and key stakeholders. Funded through the EU-Africa Global Health EDCTP3 partnership […]
By Olimatou Coker FirstBank Gambia on Monday officially launched a ‘Ndimbal’ digital salary advance initiative at its Head Office on Kairaba Avenue. According to the bank, the initiative serves as a milestone in its digital transformation drive to deliver fast, innovative financial solutions. ‘Ndimbal’ is an electronic salary advance service designed to give workers easier […]
Dear Editor,As The Gambia continues its march toward modernizing public administration and civic infrastructure, the Ministry of Interior’s latest update on the rollout of the new biometric National Identity Card (GAM ID) marks a significant and welcome milestone. The transition to advanced biometrics is not merely an administrative upgrade; it is a critical step toward […]
By Attorney Sarjo Barrow Two recent events in the United States should get the attention of people in Banjul. In United States v Heppner, a federal judge in New York decided that conversations with an AI chatbot like ChatGPT are not protected by attorney-client privilege or the work-product doctrine. The chatbot is not a lawyer, […]
By Kaw Baldeh When we talk about autism, we rightly ask what autistic children and young people need, but how often do we stop and ask what their fathers need? As a father of an autistic child, this is a question I have increasingly found myself asking. It is also a question shaped by my […]
By Lt Col Samsudeen Sarr Rtd There are moments when a country’s difficulties test not only the strength of its institutions, but also the maturity of its people and the wisdom of its leadership. The recent electricity crisis in The Gambia was one such moment. On September 10, 2026, I reliably learned from sources with […]