Former president Yahya Jammeh, speaking from exile in Equatorial Guinea, has publicly accused the leaders of the Coalition 2016 government of collaborating with Senegal to “steal” the country’s oil.
Jammeh claimed that the government that succeeded his regime secretly ceded control of Gambia’s oil to Senegalese interests, a charge he has repeatedly made without offering any documentary or verifiable evidence.
He further alleged that the coalition government’s actions amount to a betrayal of national interests, suggesting that the country’s oil has been siphoned off through conspiracies involving both Gambian and foreign actors. He specifically accused UDP leader Ousainu Darboe as an influential force at the time, when according to him, Barrow as a mere figurehead. He also alleged that PDOIS’ Halifa Sallah and NRP’s Hamat Bah have Senegalese roots and therefore they allegedly support Senegal’s interest.
Jammeh further asserted that the alleged oil theft is part of a longstanding conspiracy dating back to the Jawara era, with foreign oil companies complicit in the plunder.
He referenced an alleged joke by former Senegalese President Abdoulaye Wade about stealing Gambian oil through a pipeline, insisting this has materialised through secret deals when he left office. “Senegal has no oil. What Abdoulaye Wade said is what they finally did,” he alleged.
Jammeh also criticised new Senegalese Prime Minister Ousmane Sonko for his “conspicuous silence” on the matter, suggesting this silence is evidence of a broader conspiracy.
Despite the gravity of the accusations, Jammeh has not provided any credible evidence to substantiate his claims. His statements are widely seen by Gambians to be incendiary, since he is calling for public action, and urging Gambians to circulate his allegations widely and framing him as a lone defender of national sovereignty.
“The timing and tone of Jammeh’s remarks suggest a strategic attempt to stoke public anger and undermine trust in Barrow’s administration. These allegations fit a broader pattern of Jammeh’s inflammatory accusations and refusal to accept the legitimacy of the government that replaced him after the 2016 election,” one observer noted.
However while Jammeh’s specific claims remain unproven, concerns about the management of The Gambia’s oil and gas sector have long been raised by others.
Former US Navy captain Ebou Jallow and politician Lawyer Essa Faal have criticised the handling of offshore oil exploration contracts, particularly those involving FAR Ltd, which managed Gambian oil blocks while holding significant interests in Senegal’s oil fields.
These critics point to procedural irregularities, lack of transparency, and potential conflicts of interest, but, like Jammeh, have not produced incontrovertible evidence of outright theft or secret deals ceding Gambian oil to Senegal.
