The Gambia’s 2027 national budget stands at D66.7 billion. Hon. Modou Lamin B. Bah, the Member of the National Assembly for Banjul North, addressed these allocations during the National Assembly's budget debate on Monday, 12 October 2026. Criticizing the financial plan, Hon. Modou Lamin B. Bah stated, "D144 billion is a concern, Honourable Speaker." He noted that despite the National Nutrition Act, "this particular budget does not even have a single [allocation] when it comes to nutrition funds." Regarding health infrastructure, he argued, "we need medications and medical supplies to run these hospitals." Hon. Modou Lamin B. Bah further lamented the lack of stadium maintenance funds and the absence of national training grounds, questioning, "What are we thinking?"
The government has outlined the fiscal strategy for the upcoming year, confirming that the 2027 national budget of The Gambia is D66.7 billion. To meet this financial target, the government expects to mobilize 73 percent of the 2027 budget through domestic revenue streams. The remaining 27 percent of the total projected expenditure is slated to come from loans and grants. These specific fiscal arrangements were presented to the National Assembly as part of the broader budgetary review process.
Concerns Over National Debt Levels
Government projections indicate that the administration expects to mobilize 73 percent of the 2027 budget through domestic revenue, while the remaining 27 percent is slated to come from loans and grants. These figures accompany the current national debt of The Gambia, which stands at D144 billion.
Hon. Modou Lamin B. Bah, the Member of the National Assembly for Banjul North, identified the total debt as a primary point of friction during the budget debate. He also questioned the sufficiency of the D60 million allocated to the national health insurance scheme for the upcoming fiscal year.
Addressing the assembly, Hon. Modou Lamin B. Bah stated, "What is 60 million towards the health insurance scheme? I think this is a very big concern." He emphasized that the efficacy of this program impacts the entire population, including lawmakers and their relatives. "We cannot be playing with this health insurance scheme, knowing fully well that it is what will benefit all of us, including us as members of parliament, with our families," he added.
The debate on Monday, 12 October 2026, noted the intersection of national debt and social service funding. The 2027 budget allocates D60 million to the national health insurance scheme, a figure that Hon. Modou Lamin B. Bah argued was inadequate given the scale of the country's needs. As the national debt of The Gambia is D144 billion, the lawmaker expressed apprehension regarding the government’s ability to balance fiscal responsibility with the urgent requirement for public health investments. The discussion showed the tension between managing the national debt and ensuring that essential services receive the necessary funding to function effectively for the citizens of The Gambia.
