Residents of the Greater Banjul Area should see cleared refuse heaps, new communal waste containers and uniformed waste workers on their streets within the next 100 days, partners in The Gambia’s new waste-management concession have pledged.

The commitment was made at a two-day strategic workshop held at The Kairaba Beach Hotel on November 9 and 10, 2026. The workshop brought together government agencies, the three Greater Banjul councils and the Jospong Group of Companies (JGC), through Zoomlion Gambia and its local partner, Niro Company Limited.

The project took effect on October 28, 2026, with Phase One covering Banjul, Kanifing and Brikama. Other councils are expected to follow.

Delivering the keynote address, Dr Alexander Kumi-Larbi Jnr, International Business Director of JGC, described waste management as a national undertaking and an investment rather than a cost, noting that every dollar invested in the sector could generate seven dollars in benefits.

“No single ministry, council or company can deliver a cleaner Gambia alone,” Dr Kumi-Larbi said. “This is a national agenda, and it will succeed only if every partner in this room carries their share of the responsibility.”

The three councils gave a candid account of the challenges they face, including ageing workforces, frequently malfunctioning vehicles and poorly equipped dumpsites at Mile 2, Bakoteh and Tambana.

Under the concession, the operator will finance, build, equip and operate the infrastructure, with payments tied to the availability of services.

Abdulai Puye of the PPP Directorate explained that a contract management committee, chaired by the Ministry of Finance, would meet quarterly to hold all partners accountable.

Enforcement emerged as one of the major issues during discussions. Abdou Hydara of the National Environment Agency (NEA) proposed a 100-day programme of joint inspections with the councils. Participants also agreed that officers should begin enforcing existing anti-littering laws rather than wait for new by-laws.

“We will not wait for new by-laws before acting,” Hydara said. “The law that exists today is enough to start, and NEA will work side by side with the councils to enforce it.”

On the second day, officials from Nairobi City County, alongside Zoomlion Kenya partners, shared lessons from Kenya's experience.

Nairobi has cleared most of its major legacy waste heaps through a similar partnership, with its representatives stressing that changing public attitudes remains the most challenging aspect of the work.

“Clearing the dumpsites was the easy part,” the Director of the Environment Department of Nairobi City County said. “Changing how people think about waste is the real work, and it never stops.”

George Manu and Henrietta Baiden presented the integrated waste-management system planned for The Gambia. The system will comprise waste collection, transfer stations, a material recovery facility at Tambana, composting, recycling and engineered disposal, replacing open dumping and burning.

Participants agreed that existing collectors, recyclers and waste pickers should be integrated into the new system rather than displaced. They also emphasised the need to recruit, train and retain local talent.

Each institution subsequently developed its own 100-day action plan to support the implementation of the project. The plans will be refined with measurable targets and consolidated into a single implementation document.

Lamin Fatty of the PPP Directorate delivered the closing remarks, while Vanessa Katsekpor, Country Representative, gave the vote of thanks.

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