By Musa S. Sheriff
Stakeholders in The Gambia have expressed increased familiarity with and trust in the World Bank Group (WBG), according to the 2026 Gambia Country Opinion Survey.
The survey, conducted between January and April 2026, found significant improvements in perceptions of the WBG’s relevance to the country’s development priorities and its effectiveness in helping The Gambia achieve results, compared with the 2023 country survey.
The survey forms part of the WBG’s Country Opinion Survey Programme, which assesses stakeholder perceptions of the institution, including its development work, financing instruments, knowledge products, partnerships and communication.
Of 375 potential participants invited to take part, 171 completed the survey, representing a 46 percent response rate. About 57 percent of respondents had collaborated with the WBG within the previous three years.
The findings ranked the WBG as the most relevant multilateral institution to The Gambia’s development and among the most effective in helping the country achieve results.
The institution’s ratings for relevance, effectiveness and trust were also higher than those recorded among respondents in other Western and Central African and International Development Association (IDA) countries surveyed in 2025.
Development Priorities
Respondents identified education, agriculture, skills development and health as the leading areas for WBG support, broadly maintaining the priorities identified in 2023.
Among WBG clients, energy and agriculture projects were the initiatives they were most familiar with. About 73 percent of clients rated the WBG as “very helpful” in achieving project goals, while 58 percent described WBG-supported projects as “very effective” in creating sustainable, long-term jobs.
Inadequate government accountability was identified by 46 percent of respondents as the leading reason for slow or failed reforms.
Access to finance, cited by 76 percent of respondents, was identified as the biggest obstacle to private sector development.
Stakeholders also highlighted agriculture and digital technology as priority sectors and identified the private sector as the main engine for job creation.
They called for greater emphasis on skills development, particularly for young people and women, and urged the WBG to work more directly at the local level to ensure employment initiatives reach communities most in need.
Jobs and Private Sector Development
About four in 10 respondents described the WBG as “very effective” in creating conditions for more and better jobs in The Gambia, while 46 percent said it was “very effective” in aligning its job-creation support with national priorities.
Some 42 percent considered the WBG “very influential” in shaping government policies on job creation.
Agriculture and agribusiness, tourism and hospitality, and information and communications technology (ICT) and the digital economy were identified as sectors with the greatest potential to create jobs.
Stakeholders nevertheless called for a stronger shift from policy development to implementation, including greater accountability and more hands-on technical support to ministries and project implementation units.
They recommended measuring success by development impact rather than disbursement levels and called for greater use of results-based financing.
Improved coordination and transparency among development partners were also recommended to maximize the impact of development programmes.
Financing and Knowledge
Financial resources were identified by 73 percent of respondents as the WBG’s greatest value to The Gambia.
WBG clients also said its financing had become more competitive and better aligned with national needs compared with 2023.
About 76 percent of respondents said they had used WBG knowledge products within the previous three years, mainly through workshops, data resources and research reports.
Half of respondents said WBG knowledge work had made a “very significant impact” on development results, while 59 percent of users rated the quality of such products as “very high”.
The survey found that 86 percent of respondents believed WBG policy advice had positively influenced government policies or actions, while 69 percent said it had influenced strategies or actions within the private sector.
Stakeholders called for more flexible and tailored financing instruments, faster approval procedures, increased grant funding and fewer barriers to accessing finance.
Calls for Stronger Local Partnerships
Stakeholders rated the WBG as a more effective long-term development partner than in 2023 and reported improved perceptions of its responsiveness and accessibility.
Collaboration with the national government also improved significantly. However, ratings for collaboration with local governments, civil society organisations, academia and the private sector remained more moderate.
About 53 percent of respondents considered the WBG “very effective” in partnering with government to improve the business environment, compared with 35 percent who gave the same rating for its partnership with the private sector.
Respondents called for stronger collaboration with the private sector, cited by 43 percent, and civil society organizations, cited by 36 percent.
They also urged greater involvement of civil society organisations and local communities in project design, implementation and monitoring.
Stakeholders recommended stronger engagement with Parliament, local councils, academia and the private sector, while calling for wider use of community radio and other media to communicate development results and improve public awareness of WBG activities.
Communication Preferences
Direct contact with WBG staff was the preferred communication channel for 50 percent of respondents, followed by WBG events and workshops at 49 percent and WBG websites at 48 percent.
Respondents said they most wanted information on project outcomes and results, cited by 54 percent, impact assessments of WBG projects, 53 percent, and regular updates on WBG activities, 50 percent.
Some 66 percent said they had recently seen or heard information about the WBG, with events and traditional media being the most common sources.
The issues most frequently recalled included the WBG’s work in education and skills development, climate, energy and job creation.
Overall, the survey indicates a significant improvement in stakeholder perceptions of the World Bank Group in The Gambia since 2023, while highlighting calls for greater transparency, stronger local engagement, improved private sector partnerships and greater emphasis on implementation and measurable development results.