Gambiaj.com – (CONAKRY, Guinea) – Elhadj Mamadou Sylla, a prominent Guinean businessman and political leader with notable business ties to former Gambian president Yahya Jammeh, has died at his residence in Conakry, his family confirmed on Thursday.
Sylla, founder and leader of the Union Démocratique de Guinée (UDG) and head of the Futurelec business conglomerate, was a major figure in Guinea’s economic and political landscape.
His influence, however, extended beyond Guinea’s borders, particularly into The Gambia, where his business interests became closely intertwined with the Jammeh administration.
Sylla’s relationship with Jammeh was both personal and commercial. Regarded as a close associate of the former Gambian leader, he replicated elements of his Futurelec business model in The Gambia, establishing a footprint that would later come under scrutiny.
Through Futurelec Holding, Sylla built a diversified business empire spanning sectors such as automobile distribution, agri-business, and trading.
In The Gambia, the company emerged as a key commercial player during Jammeh’s rule, notably serving as the sole importer of crude oil at some point, an arrangement that underscored its strategic importance within the former regime’s economic architecture.
One of the most visible symbols of that presence is the Futurelec Building, an eight-storey office complex along the Bertil Harding Highway in Kotu.
Following Jammeh’s ouster in 2017, the business dealings of his associates, including those linked to Futurelec, were investigated by the Janneh Commission, which probed alleged financial misconduct and asset accumulation under the former president. Several assets tied to Jammeh-era networks were subsequently seized or liquidated as part of broader accountability measures.
The Futurelec property was acquired in 2025 by the Central Bank of The Gambia for D105 million to serve as its new headquarters, marking a transition from private, politically connected ownership to state control.
Despite the controversies surrounding his Gambian connections, Sylla remained a significant figure in Guinea, where he rose to prominence during the presidency of Lansana Conté and maintained an active political career.
Tributes have poured in following his death. Former Guinean Prime Minister Cellou Dalein Diallo described Sylla as “a man of conviction and integrity,” noting his willingness to stand by his political choices and personal alliances. The Guinean government also hailed his contributions, stating that his legacy would remain part of the country’s recent history.
According to family arrangements, Sylla will be buried on Monday in his native Boké. A symposium is scheduled for Sunday at the Palais du Peuple in Conakry, followed by funeral prayers at the Fayçal Grand Mosque.
Sylla’s death marks the passing of a businessman whose reach extended into one of West Africa’s most scrutinized political economies, leaving behind a legacy shaped as much by enterprise as by his proximity to power.
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