Heads of national boundary commissions from across West Africa met in The Gambia from 6 to 8 October 2026 to review progress on recommendations from their previous gathering and identify priority follow-up actions. The meeting, convened by the ECOWAS Commission, brought together commission heads alongside representatives of the African Union and development partners including GIZ.
Economist and legal scholar John Mukum Mbaku argues in The Conversation that military coups in Africa worsen intergroup conflict, undermine entrepreneurship, expose vulnerable groups to abuse and destroy efforts to deepen democracy. Drawing on studies of Egypt, Nigeria, Sierra Leone, The Gambia and Sudan, he contends that positive change comes through institutional reform and civilian control of the military instead.
HubPharm Africa, a Nigerian healthcare startup led by Tope Kareem, won the US$30,000 grand prize at the second ECOWAS Startup Awards in Abuja on 30 September 2026. Gaynako of Senegal and My Opinion of Côte d'Ivoire took the runner-up prizes, while the Commission launched the ECOWAS Private Sector Development Academy and ECOWAS Startup Networks.
ECOWAS Commission Vice-President Oluwatosin Anthony Ogunjimie concluded a two-day working mission to The Gambia on 29 September 2026, his first working visit to the country. The programme included meetings with ECOWAS structures, field visits to Regional Stabilisation and Development Fund projects, a courtesy call on Gambian Vice-President Mohammed BS Jallow and a visit to ECOMIG troops.
The ECOWAS Regional Competition Authority held its first Annual Conference in Bijilo, The Gambia, from 15 to 17 September 2026, drawing close to 300 participants from twelve Member States. The conference closed with a declaration presented by ERCA Executive Director Dr Simeon Konan Koffi, alongside remarks from ECOWAS Commissioner Dehpue Zuo and Gambian Trade Minister Mod K. Ceesay.
Mayamba FA came from behind to beat Medina Daru 2-1 and finish top of Group A in the Essau Youth Sports Development Association Newettan, with Malang Marong scoring twice. Berending United also advanced after a 3-1 comeback win over Buniadu United.
Gambian civil society organizations are demanding a forensic audit of all assets recovered from former President Yahya Jammeh, citing concerns over undervaluation and irregular sales. The call follows a parliamentary inquiry that found significant disparities in asset valuations and disposal practices.
Kemo Ceesay has been elected president of the Gambia Football Federation after winning 41 of 77 votes in a three-way race, avoiding a runoff. He will serve a four-year term, succeeding Lamin Kaba Bajo.
Residents of Niorro Jarrol Village in Foni Jarrol District have reported an incident of alleged harassment by a group from Jarrol Village, leading to a police report and a referral to the district chief. The dispute is also tied to an ongoing court case over land, with an injunction in place and a ruling scheduled for September 10, 2026.
The Gambia has achieved a historic milestone in its anti-narcotics efforts with the arrest of a Nigerian national found in possession of over 9,000 ecstasy tablets and a drug-manufacturing machine—the first such equipment ever discovered in the country. This seizure signals a critical escalation in the regional drug threat, moving beyond simple trafficking toward the potential establishment of local clandestine synthetic drug laboratories. The operation underscores DLEAG's strategic shift to dismantle not just drug flows but also nascent production infrastructure, while highlighting the need for public vigilance to protect youth from this evolving danger.
