Finance Minister says Gambia’s debt reaches 3.1 billion in six months

The latest financial report reveals that Gambia’s debt interest expenditure has reached an alarming D3.1 billion in just six months. This highlights the increasing strain that debt repayment is placing on the government’s finances.
During the presentation of the Mid-Year 2026 Revenue Report to the National Assembly, Finance Minister Seedy Keita shared that interest payments have risen by 18% compared to the same period last year. This amount accounts for a significant 45% of the government’s annual budget allocated for debt interest.
The majority of the payments were made towards domestic debt, totaling D2.50 billion and reflecting a 17% increase from the previous year. Meanwhile, interest on external debt reached D600 million, a significant 21% increase.