Gambiaj.com – (BANJUL, The Gambia) – The Minister of Communication and Digital Economy, Lamin Jabbi, has disclosed that his ministry has formally instructed the Public Utilities Regulatory Authority (PURA) to lift the mobile data floor price it imposed earlier this year. The move follows weeks of public pressure, widespread criticism, and an inter-ministerial review commissioned by President Adama Barrow.
PURA introduced the floor price in response to what it described as a tariff war among mobile network operators that had driven data prices to unprecedented lows.
The regulator said the measure was necessary to protect the “quality of telecommunication services” amid concerns that unsustainably low prices could destabilize the sector.
However, the decision provoked a swift backlash, with consumers accusing PURA of shielding corporate interests at the expense of affordability. Protests erupted in several communities, prompting the State House to intervene.
Appearing before lawmakers yesterday, Minister Jabbi confirmed that President Barrow established a review committee composed of officials from the ministries of digital economy, finance, justice, and trade, as well as PURA and the Gambia Competition and Consumer Protection Commission. The committee concluded its work in October.
“The key conclusion is that the ban should be lifted,” Minister Jabbi told the National Assembly. “We wrote to PURA to direct that it be lifted based on the findings.” He added that the formal directive was issued on 16 October 2025.
The minister also revealed that PURA is finalizing a cost-of-service study for the telecommunications sector. The assessment is expected to determine the actual cost structure of each service provided by operators, enabling regulators to adopt a more evidence-based approach to tariff setting.
“After this study, both the price floor and the price ceiling are expected to be determined, giving operators a range within which they must price their services,” Minister Jabbi explained.
It remains unclear when PURA will formally announce compliance with the government directive, but the decision is widely expected to ease mounting public frustration over data affordability, one of the most contentious consumer issues in the country today.
