Gambiaj.com – (BANJUL, The Gambia) – The African Development Bank (AfDB) has approved a $5.3 million grant to strengthen the Public-Private Partnership (PPP) environment in The Gambia and three other African countries — Guinea-Bissau, Madagascar, and Togo — in a bid to attract greater private sector investment.
The project, approved on 27 June 2025 in Abidjan, will be financed under Pillar III of the Bank’s Transition Support Facility, which provides concessional funding to countries in fragile or conflict-affected situations.
For The Gambia, the initiative is expected to help address long-standing challenges in mobilising private capital for infrastructure and economic growth.
The program focuses on three main areas. First, it will create a more coherent and investor-friendly PPP framework, operationalize institutional structures for managing PPPs, and enhance the capacity of government authorities to negotiate fair and balanced contracts.
Second, it will encourage greater participation from the private sector — particularly Gambian businesses — through practical case studies that will guide them through all stages of a PPP project. Finally, the project will establish a dedicated management unit to ensure smooth implementation, effective oversight, and sustained results.
According to AfDB Vice President for the Private Sector, Infrastructure, and Industrialization, Solomon Quaynor, the initiative builds on the bank’s existing work to improve the business climate in partner countries. “It aligns with the three pillars of the strategic framework for public–private partnerships, contributing to its operationalization,” he said.
For The Gambia, where large-scale infrastructure gaps remain and public resources are limited, the project is seen as a timely step toward unlocking private investment in sectors such as energy, housing, transport, and tourism.
It is also expected to provide local businesses with the skills and confidence to engage in complex PPP arrangements, ensuring that Gambians benefit directly from future projects.
