President Adama Barrow has pledged an additional D50 million to support women through a government-backed loan scheme, saying the initial funding provided to women has fallen short of growing demand.
The President made the announcement while addressing a joint general meeting of the Lower Saloum, Upper Saloum and Nianija constituencies in Kaur Wharf Town as part of his ongoing 2026 Meet the People’s Tour.
President Barrow said the initial D50 million allocated through the National People’s Party (NPP) had made a positive impact but was insufficient to meet the needs of Gambian women seeking financial support to expand their economic activities.
“Through the National People’s Party we gave 50 million dalasis to support women, but we came to understand that the 50 million dalasis loan scheme was not enough for women,” President Barrow told the gathering.
He subsequently pledged a further D50 million, bringing the total amount committed under the initiative to D100 million.
“I promise you that I will give out another 50 million dalasis so that other women will also benefit from the loan scheme,” he said, drawing cheers from supporters.
The President said the additional funding is intended to expand access to financial assistance and enable more women to participate in income-generating activities.
Women, particularly in rural communities, have increasingly relied on microfinance and revolving loan schemes to establish and expand small businesses, engage in market gardening, trading and other livelihood activities.
The new pledge is therefore expected to widen access to credit for women who were unable to benefit from the initial D50 million scheme.
However, the announcement also places renewed focus on how such funds are administered, distributed and monitored to ensure that the support reaches its intended beneficiaries and translates into sustainable economic opportunities for women.
President Barrow’s latest commitment comes as his administration intensifies its political engagements ahead of the December 2026 presidential election, with the Meet the People’s Tour providing a platform for the government to highlight its development programmes and make new commitments to communities across the country.
