The Gambia granted 827.59 million dalasis in subsidies on petrol and diesel between March and September 2026 to cushion the price rise, Finance Minister Seedy Keita said on Friday 23 October before the National Assembly in Banjul.
Retail prices nevertheless rose by 41.8% for diesel and 33.1% for petrol between March and September. According to the minister, the subsidies prevented the full international price increase from being passed on to motorists, transporters and businesses.
Diesel absorbed 785.13 million dalasis, or nearly 95% of the envelope, compared with 42.46 million for petrol.
At the end of August, tax revenues remained 1% below target, despite a 7.4% year-on-year rise in total domestic revenue.
Energy price support also covers electricity. Of the one billion dalasis planned for this sector in 2026, 500 million had been disbursed by the time of the budget speech. A further one billion dalasis is included in the 2027 draft budget.
Fuel pumps photographed in March 2023. Illustrative photo, not linked to a specific station in the Gambia. Mohamed Elwaid / Unsplash, Unsplash licence. WebP version.