By: Fatou Krubally
The Gambian Government in partnership with the Islamic Development Bank (IsDB), recently launched $54 million project aimed at expanding and modernising infrastructure along the Bertil Harding Highway corridor.
Details of the project were highlighted in a report by the National Assembly’s Select Committee on Monitoring the Implementation of government projects following oversight visits conducted between April 20 and 26, 2025.
According to the report, the project is jointly financed by the Islamic Development Bank and the Government of The Gambia, with the IsDB providing $40 million while the government contributes $14 million.
The Bertil Harding Highway Phase III project focuses on the construction of service roads and supporting infrastructure between Airport Junction and the Mile 7 Road intersection, one of the busiest transport corridors in the Greater Banjul Area.
The construction contract has been awarded to AREZKI S.A under a fixed-price Engineering, Procurement and Construction (EPC) turnkey arrangement.
The project commenced on April 4, 2025 and is expected to be completed by April 4, 2027.
Committee members were informed that the financing agreement between the Government of The Gambia and the Islamic Development Bank was signed on December 2, 2024, followed by the issuance of a legal opinion on December 19, 2024.
As part of the procurement process for project supervision, an expression of interest was advertised and 25 consulting firms responded. Out of these, six firms were shortlisted to proceed to the next stage of the selection process.
However, as of April 20, 2025, officials informed the committee that the government was awaiting a “No Objection” from the Islamic Development Bank before issuing a Request for Proposals to the shortlisted firms for the supervision consultancy.
Pending the engagement of the supervision consultant, only limited preparatory activities are currently permitted. These include the relocation of utility services and drainage works at critical sections of the highway corridor.
The project includes the construction of approximately 30 kilometres of service roads along the corridor, pedestrian sidewalks, solar-powered street lighting and solar-powered traffic lights.
It will also include the construction of an overpass at the Sukuta–Jabang intersection and four roundabouts at key junctions along the corridor.
The committee observed that the project is still in its early implementation phase, with preparatory works underway while the procurement process for the supervision consultant continues.