Gambia spent D785 million on diesel subsidies
Finance Minister Seedy Keita announced the subsidies were to cushion rising fuel prices between March and September 2026.
The Gambian government spent D785.13 million on diesel subsidies and D42.46 million on petrol subsidies between March and September 2026. Finance Minister Seedy Keita announced these figures on Friday, October 23, 2026, during his presentation of the 2027 budget speech to the National Assembly. These subsidies were implemented to lessen the impact of increased fuel prices on citizens.
Minister Keita stated that domestic retail prices for petrol and diesel had risen by 33.1% and 41.8% respectively during the same six-month period. He explained that these subsidies ensured fuel prices remained lower than they would have been if international price increases were fully passed on. The government's 2027 budget theme is “Deepening Economic Resilience while Enhancing Fiscal Sustainability”.
The minister also reported that inflation had risen to 6.5% in August 2026 before falling to 6.1% in September. He noted that downside risks to the economy remained significant. The government aims for a fiscal deficit of 1% of GDP in 2027 for all funds. Domestic revenue collection reached D20.27 billion by the end of August 2026, a 7.4% increase from the previous year.
Why it mattersGambian citizens were protected from higher fuel costs due to government subsidies.