Gambia Spent D15 Billion in Six Months. Just D1 Billion Went to Capital Investment

Written by: Seringe S.T. Touray

The Gambia Government spent more than D15 billion in the first six months of 2026, but almost all of it went towards running the government, paying salaries, subsidies and debt, with just D1 billion going into capital investment, which covers longer-term spending on infrastructure and other government assets.

Figures presented to the National Assembly by Finance Minister Seedy Keita show that government expenditure and net lending reached D15.42 billion between January and June. Of that amount, D14.42 billion was current expenditure, while capital expenditure stood at just D1 billion.

Put simply, for every D100 the government spent, about D94 went to current expenditure and only around D6 went to capital investment.

The biggest expenses included D5.06 billion on salaries and other personnel costs, D3.62 billion on subsidies and transfers, and D3.10 billion just to pay interest on government debt. Together, those three consumed D11.76 billion, more than three quarters of all government spending during the period.

Meanwhile, capital expenditure actually fell by 27% compared with the same period last year.

The figures show how heavily public spending is concentrated on recurrent costs at a time when private sector growth and job creation remain major economic challenges for The Gambia.

Government collected D15.35 billion in domestic revenue during the same six months, while expenditure reached D15.42 billion.

The International Monetary Fund has also stressed the need for The Gambia to improve its business environment and accelerate reforms that can support private investment and job creation.

For now, however, the government’s own mid-year figures show a state spending far more on keeping today’s system running than on capital investment for tomorrow.