Timeline of Banjul airport charges, contracts, audits and scrutiny

1. 13 May 1977Historical

   Chicago Convention ratified

   The Gambia ratified the Convention on International Civil Aviation, according to a National Assembly committee report ⁴⁷.

2. July 1991Historical

   GCAA set up as autonomous body

   The GCAA says it was established in July 1991 under the Public Enterprise Act of 1989 ¹.

3. 2004Historical

   Civil Aviation Act 2004

   The National Assembly library holds the Civil Aviation Act 2004 ².

4. 2004 and 2005Historical

   FAA and ICAO audits

   The GCAA cited a 2004 FAA baseline audit and a 2005 ICAO systems audit before Parliament in 2016 ³.

5. 10 March 2004Historical

   Montreal Convention joined

   The Gambia acceded to the Montreal Convention of 1999 on airline liability. It entered into force for The Gambia on 9 May 2004 ⁴⁶.

6. 1 June 2007Historical

   GIA management contract begins

   A five-year management contract between the government and GS Aviation for Gambia International Airlines began ⁴.

7. March 2008Historical

   Kuwait Fund airport loan signed

   The government signed a loan of 3,100,000 Kuwaiti dinars, about US$10,850,000, for Phase II of the airport improvement project, including terminal and control tower works ³³.

8. June 2008Official finding

   Assembly debate on GIA losses

   A member of the National Assembly cited a D84m pre-tax loss at GIA for June 2007 to April 2008 and called for an investigation ⁵.

9. July 2008Historical

   Biometric visa system launched

   The government launched a biometric visa and immigration control system at Banjul International Airport. The report named no supplier ²⁶.

10. 11 March 2009Historical

    OPEC Fund approves US$8 million

    The OPEC Fund approved US$8 million for Phase II of the Banjul airport rehabilitation, a project with a total cost of US$34.9 million. It lists the project as completed ³⁴.

11. September 2011Historical

    Minister answers on GIA losses

    The works minister told the Assembly that PAC and PEC recommendations on GIA losses were with government and action was being considered ⁴.

12. June 2013Historical

    AFCAC constitution ratified

    The National Assembly ratified the revised constitution of the African Civil Aviation Commission on a motion by the works minister, as reported by The Point ³⁵.

13. July 2013Historical

    Cargo complex foundation stone

    The foundation stone of the airport cargo complex was laid. The Point reported a cost of US$3,115,400, mostly from the Enhanced Integrated Framework ³⁶.

14. January 2016Historical

    PAC and PEC review GCAA report

    The joint PAC and PEC session reviewed the GCAA 2014 activity report ³.

15. July 2016Historical

    Justice ministry urges due diligence

    The audit office said a Ministry of Justice letter of July 2016 recommended due diligence on the security initiative. Further letters followed in December 2017 and May 2018 ⁶.

16. 19 February 2018Historical

    Cargo facility inaugurated

    The new airport cargo facility was inaugurated. Vice-President Fatoumata Tambajang spoke at the launch ³⁷.

17. 1 September 2019Historical

    Audit period starts

    Dubawa reported the Securiport audit period as 1 September 2019 to 31 May 2021 ⁹.

18. 5 September 2019Historical

    Cabinet considers aviation treaties

    Cabinet considered air service agreements with twelve countries and the Beijing instruments of 2010, and approved the Montreal Protocol of 2014 ³⁸.

19. 19 September 2019Historical

    Terminal overhaul described

    The Gambia Tourism Board said a terminal overhaul cost in excess of $14 million, according to the Civil Aviation Authority, with completion expected in mid-2020 ³⁹.

20. October 2019Official finding

    Securiport arrears period starts

    Dubawa reported that the D164m Securiport claim relates to arrears from October 2019 to August 2020, when enforcement was delayed ⁹.

21. June 2020Historical

    Saudi loan sent to committees

    The National Assembly referred an additional loan of 45,000,000 Saudi riyals for phase 2 of the airport rehabilitation to three committees ⁴⁰.

22. 9 September 2020Historical

    US$20 immigration security levy announced

    The government announced the Immigration Security System Levy with immediate effect at US$20 per arriving and per departing passenger, paid at booths ⁷.

23. 8 October 2020Historical

    UN passenger data gap analysis

    The UN Countering Terrorist Travel Programme finished a virtual deep-dive on The Gambia's API and PNR programme, held 5 to 8 October ⁸.

24. 20 May 2021Official finding

    First GCAA fee share received

    The GCAA received its first 25 percent share, D16,452,987.3, after no transfers from September 2020 to April 2021 ¹⁰.

25. November 2021Historical

    Saudi Fund announces project completion

    The Saudi Fund for Development announced the completion of the airport rehabilitation and development project, financed with a US$31 million loan, as reported by Middle East Construction News ⁴¹.

26. 7 November 2021Historical

    Private airline security firm starts

    Afro-Euro Airline Security Services began operations at Banjul International Airport ¹¹.

27. August 2022Historical

    Press estimate of state losses

    Dubawa reported that a Malagen investigation in August 2022 estimated possible state losses of at least D274 million from the levy contract ⁹.

28. 6 September 2022Historical

    UN passenger data MoU signed

    The Minister of Interior signed an MoU with UNOCT on API and PNR data. The UN said The Gambia was entering goTravel pre-production ¹².

29. 27 September 2022Announced

    Justice ministry asked to lead contract review

    The Point reported a letter from the Office of the President asking the Ministry of Justice to lead a joint review of the Securiport contract, including the option of embedding the fee in the ticket ³².

30. 18 November 2022In force

    WHO yellow fever list

    WHO listed The Gambia as a yellow fever risk country that requires a certificate from risk-country arrivals aged 9 months or over ²⁸.

31. 27 January 2023Announced

    GCAA announces new passenger charges

    The GCAA announced a Passenger Service Charge rise from £10 to £15 and a US$5 Passenger Safety Levy from 1 May 2023 ¹³.

32. February 2023Historical

    Government denies corruption claims

    The government issued a press statement denying corruption allegations over the contract, as reported by Dubawa ⁹.

33. 6 February 2023Official finding

    Securiport D164m claim reported

    The audit office reported that Securiport relied on a contract clause to seek D164 million from the government over late implementation ²⁷.

34. 7 February 2023Official finding

    Audit office report on Securiport contract

    The audit office found the contract was signed without considering the Attorney General's legal advice and called for an investigation ⁶.

35. 8 February 2023Official finding

    Missing fee receipts reported

    The audit office found no matching receipts for deposits of US$3,235 and £6,780 ¹⁵.

36. 10 February 2023Official finding

    Audit office calls for full review

    The audit office recommended a full review of the Securiport project through the Directorate of PPP and noted IATA approval to add the fee to tickets was not obtained ¹⁴.

37. 6 March 2023Historical

    Spokesperson on fee exemptions

    The government spokesperson said diplomatic passport holders do not pay the fee and that an addendum removed a planned exemption for service passports ⁹.

38. 21 March 2023Historical

    President defends contract

    President Barrow defended the contract on security grounds and said officials were negotiating to add the fee to tickets ¹⁶.

39. 28 March 2023Historical

    Adviser rejects audit report

    Presidential adviser Sulayman Camara called the audit report half-baked, saying it lacked management's response ¹⁷.

40. 1 June 2023Historical

    Dalasi amount of fee explained

    Securiport said the dalasi amount of the US$20 fee moved from D1,000 to D1,200 with the exchange rate ¹⁸.

41. 2 June 2023Historical

    Fee increase not approved

    The Ministry of Interior said it had not approved a Securiport request to raise the fee. Securiport said it stays at US$20 ¹⁸.

42. 27 March 2024Official finding

    Committee orders GIA to retire imprest

    The Public Enterprise Committee ordered GIA to retire D835,185 by 1 May 2024 and to investigate a D842,074 difference ¹⁹.

43. 25 May 2024In force

    Forex bureau rules revised

    The central bank board approved revised forex bureau guidelines requiring a receipt for every transaction and displayed rates ²⁹.

44. December 2024Announced

    ECOWAS Act on air charges

    An ECOWAS supplementary Act adopted in December 2024 provides for a 25 percent cut in aviation charges, as reported in December 2025 ²⁰.

45. 4 March 2025Historical

    Gambia listed as UN programme beneficiary

    A UN presentation at an ICAO forum listed The Gambia among 31 African beneficiaries of the CT Travel Programme ²⁴.

46. 2 May 2025Announced

    New terminal tender issued

    The transport ministry and the GCAA invited bids for a new terminal under a design, build, finance, operate, maintain and transfer partnership ^43,42.

47. 27 June 2025Historical

    New terminal bid deadline

    Bids for the new terminal were due at the Ministry of Finance and Economic Affairs. No award notice was found as of 24 October 2026 ^42,43.

48. July 2025Historical

    Assembly resolution on 2020 audit report

    The National Assembly adopted a resolution on the FPAC report on the Auditor General's report for 2020 ²⁵.

49. 17 July 2025Historical

    Central bank valuation rate

    The central bank valuation sheet showed D71.85 per US dollar ³⁰.

50. November 2025Proposed

    Airport agency law proposed

    The national aviation safety plan proposed a Gambia Airport Management Agency Act and an amended Civil Aviation Act by the end of 2028 ⁴⁴.

51. 1 January 2026Announced

    ECOWAS air tax and charge cut date

    ECOWAS said member states would remove air transport taxes and cut aviation charges by 25 percent from 1 January 2026. This site found no Gambian notice applying it ²⁰.

52. 15 January 2026Announced

    Government says fee to move into fares

    The information minister said passengers pay the security fee at the airport and the government was working to include it in the ticket price ²¹.

53. June 2026Historical

    646,543 passengers in 2025

    The Gambia Bureau of Statistics reported 646,543 passengers and 1,533 aircraft movements at Banjul in 2025, from GCAA data ⁴⁵.

54. 24 June 2026Proposed

    Aviation security treaty report posted

    The Assembly posted a joint committee report on ratifying the Convention on the Suppression of Unlawful Acts Relating to International Civil Aviation ²².

55. 24 June 2026Historical

    Air service agreements report posted

    The National Assembly posted a joint committee report on air service agreements with twelve countries ⁴⁷.

56. 7 July 2026In force

    Security fee still paid at kiosks

    UK advice says the US$20 airport security fee is payable at kiosks on arrival and departure ²³.

57. 23 October 2026In force

    Central bank valuation rate

    The central bank home page showed a valuation rate of D72.46 per US dollar ³¹.

Rules and charges change. Check the official source linked on this page before you pay or travel. Spotted an error? Email hello@gambiaairportguide.com.