By Yunus S. Saliu
The Ministry of Tourism, Arts and Culture, in collaboration with the Chefs Association of The Gambia and the WAFFEST 2026 Organising Committee, on Friday held a soft launch and fundraising event ahead of the West African Food Festival (WAFFEST) 2026.
The festival is scheduled to take place from 15 to 21 October in The Gambia and is expected to showcase West Africa’s rich culinary heritage while promoting the country as a destination for culinary and cultural tourism.
The soft launch brought together government officials, development partners, sponsors, tourism stakeholders and members of the media to raise awareness, mobilise resources and strengthen partnerships ahead of the main festival.
In a statement delivered on behalf of the Minister of Tourism, Arts and Culture, Permanent Secretary Amie Njie Joof described WAFFEST as a national event aimed at celebrating West African culinary traditions and strengthening The Gambia’s position as a cultural and tourism destination in the sub-region.
She said the festival would showcase the diversity of West African cuisine, the creativity of chefs and the hospitality of the region’s people, while highlighting opportunities in tourism, agribusiness and the creative industries.
“Food is a universal language that tells the story of our farmers, our fishermen, our communities, and our shared traditions,” she said.
According to Joof, promoting West African cuisine could create opportunities for investment, employment, innovation and sustainable growth in the tourism sector.
She said WAFFEST was expected to attract visitors from across the sub-region and beyond, further enhancing The Gambia’s profile as a destination for culinary and cultural tourism.
Joof also expressed confidence in The Gambia’s performance in the upcoming jollof rice competition, recalling the country’s previous successes and expressing hope that it would retain the trophy in October.
She said the soft launch served to raise awareness of the festival and mobilise the resources and partnerships required for its successful organisation.
Joof called on stakeholders, investors, development partners, institutions and the general public to support WAFFEST 2026.
“Let us seize this opportunity to promote Gambian specialties, strengthen regional cooperation, and leave a lasting legacy for generations to come,” she said.
She commended the WAFFEST Organising Committee for its preparations and thanked partners who had already pledged their support.
Momodou Singhate, Chairperson of the WAFFEST 2026 Organising Committee and Director General of the Gambia Tourism and Hospitality Institute (GTHI), welcomed participants to the institute, which hosted the event.
Singhate said GTHI was honoured to collaborate with the Ministry of Tourism, Arts and Culture and the organising committee in preparations for the festival.
He described WAFFEST as more than a culinary event, saying it would celebrate shared heritage, creativity, cultural identity and resilience while providing a platform for tourism, arts and culture to showcase the richness of West Africa.
He said GTHI’s mandate to develop talent, build capacity and strengthen the foundation of tourism and hospitality in The Gambia made its involvement in WAFFEST particularly significant.
“Hosting this soft launch is not only a privilege, but also a testament to our commitment to advancing cultural and culinary tourism as a driver for economic and social development,” he said.
Singhate stressed that the success of WAFFEST would depend on collaboration among the government, private sector, development partners and the wider public.
He called for financial, technical and moral support to make the festival a major regional event capable of promoting integration, sustainable development and the creative industries.
“WAFFEST is not just about entertainment. It is also about identity. It is about pride, and it is about opportunities. It is about telling our stories, preserving our traditions and creating new pathways for future generations,” he said.
The event was attended by representatives of the National Centre for Arts and Culture (NCAC), Tourism Resilience and Diversification of The Gambia Project (TRDGP), Gambia Tourism Board, GTHI, International Trade Centre (ITC-Gambia), Access Bank, Africell, Yabouy Homecooking and other stakeholders.
The fundraising session saw several sponsors and partners make pledges towards the organisation of WAFFEST 2026.
Participants also had the opportunity to sample a variety of Gambian traditional dishes and drinks, including supa kanja, oleleh, kaldou, domoda, baobab juice and wonjo juice.