Gambia–Türkiye Exports Surge Over 800% as Envoy Pitches Country as West Africa’s Strategic Investment Gateway

Exports from The Gambia to Türkiye have surged by more than 800 per cent over a four-year period, jumping from 133,000 dalasis in 2021 to 11 million dalasis in 2025, driven largely by groundnut, fish, and vegetable oil shipments.

The dramatic export growth was highlighted by The Gambia’s Ambassador to Türkiye, Alkali F. Conteh, during the “Gambia Day” celebrations in Ankara on Friday, September 18, as he urged international investors to view the nation as a primary production hub and strategic gateway to West Africa.

Addressing Turkish business leaders and diplomats, Ambassador Conteh noted that while commercial ties are expanding rapidly, The Gambia continues to run a trade deficit with Türkiye. In 2025 alone, Gambian imports of Turkish goods—including cement, fertilizers, steel, machinery, and food items—reached 1.4 billion dalasis ($20 million).

“The Gambia has been maintaining a trade deficit with Turkiye for the past decade. This is due to difference in economic structure, productive and investment capacities,” Ambassador Conteh explained, adding that foreign investment is crucial to balancing the trade relationship.

To bridge this gap, the envoy pointed to major Turkish infrastructure footprints already operating in the country. Key projects include Karpowership, which supplied 40% of the Greater Banjul area’s electricity between 2018 and 2026, Negmar Investment’s private ferry service, and a $700 million investment package from the Albayrak Group to modernize the Banjul Port and construct a new deep-seaport in Sanyang.

Ambassador Conteh emphasized that beyond domestic trade, The Gambia offers investors duty-free access to broader regional markets under the ECOWAS Trade Liberalization Scheme (ETLS) and the African Continental Free Trade Area (AfCFTA), unlocking a market of over 1.4 billion consumers.

“As we gather here this evening, we are not just celebrating a country. We are celebrating an idea that Gambia is open, Gambia is ready and Gambia is the destination for your next adventure and next big investment,” Ambassador Conteh told delegates. “We are called ‘The Smiling Coast of Africa’ because of its hospitality and how we accommodate visitors.”

Turning to diversification beyond traditional beach tourism, the Ambassador showcased nature assets, the River Gambia, and UNESCO World Heritage sites such as Kunta Kinteh Island and the Stone Circles of Senegambia as prime opportunities for waterfront, eco-tourism, and cultural heritage investments.

“However, my message today, is to share a different story with you. The Gambia is not only a place to visit. The Gambia is a place to invest,” he said. “We are opening our doors wider to investors who are looking beyond traditional tourism and who see the enormous potential in nature-based tourism, river cruising, cultural heritage, hospitality, leisure, events, conservation, waterfront development, and community-based tourism.”

Calling on Turkish hotel developers, marine operators, renewable energy providers, and construction firms, Ambassador Conteh urged businesses to bring both technical expertise and capital to build long-term partnerships.

“We are not asking you simply to bring capital. We are inviting you to bring your expertise, your innovation, your technology, your networks and your entrepreneurial spirit—and to build partnerships with Gambian businesses and communities,” Ambassador Conteh added. “The opportunities are there. The market is there. The natural assets are there. And the Government of The Gambia is committed to creating an environment in which responsible investment can flourish.”

The diplomatic gathering was sponsored by key commercial partners including the Albayrak Group, Negmar Investment, DentaPol, and the Wings Palace Hotel, alongside historic contributions from the Ulukson Group, Sahzen Projects, and Pullman Hotel & Resort