Multiple sources in the cement and construction sectors report that an alleged acute cement shortage has gripped the Gambia’s construction industry, bringing projects to a standstill and forcing traders and contractors to scour major stores and factories for dwindling supplies. The crisis, reportedly in its second week, has sparked frustration among truck drivers, cement dealers, and rural traders, who blame the shortage on supply chain disruptions and government policies.
To investigate the situation, a TAT reporter visited key cement hubs, including Jimpex and Jah Oil Cement Factory in Brikama. At Jimpex, an anonymous source claimed that Jah Oil Cement Factory and Salam Trading, two major suppliers, face severe shortages at their facilities, resulting in a ripple effect across the market. “This has been going on for nearly two weeks now,” the source highlighted the growing strain on the construction industry.
At Jah Oil Cement Factory, truck driver Babucarr Jallow echoed these concerns. Speaking to TAT at the factory gates on Saturday, March 2, 2025, Jallow said his truck had been queued for nearly a week without receiving a cement shipment. “The officials here told me their shipment is delayed but should arrive by Monday,” he said, noting that the shortage has left many drivers and dealers in limbo. Jallow criticized the recurring nature of the problem, calling it the second such disruption in recent memory. “The government needs to stop monopolizing the cement market—it’s backfiring on the construction industry that depends on this,” he argued.
The shortage extends beyond urban centers, with rural Gambia also feeling the pinch. Alagie Touray, a prominent cement trader in Farafenni, North Bank Region, told TAT that rural traders have been unable to secure supplies for nearly two weeks. “Many dealers here are out of stock and have halted their businesses because the packaging companies can’t deliver on time,” Touray said. He urged the government to rethink its cement trade policies, pointing to the Ministry of Trade’s decision to halt land-based cement imports from Senegal and centralize supply through packaging companies as a root cause of the persistent shortages.
Touray’s sentiments reflect growing discontent with government regulations. Since the Ministry of Trade imposed a ban on cement imports by land from Senegal—a move aimed at bolstering local packaging companies—shortages have become a recurring issue, critics say. The policy shift has also drawn legal scrutiny. Sources told TAT that the Cement Importers and Traders Association (CITA) has filed a lawsuit against the Ministry of Trade, challenging a staggering 500% tariff hike on cement imports entering by land. CITA is demanding a reversal of the tariff increase and the reopening of land-based trade routes, which once allowed small-scale Gambian traders to import cement from Senegal with ease.
A source familiar with the legal action argued that the ban violates regional trade agreements under the Economic Community of West African States (ECOWAS) and the African Union (AU), which the Gambia has ratified. “This is against the free movement of goods and services,” the source said, adding that the Ministry of Trade and the Gambia Revenue Authority lack the legal authority to impose such exorbitant tariffs. The source called for a national dialogue involving all stakeholders to address the crisis, emphasizing that local packaging companies have consistently failed to meet market demand.
As Gambia’s construction industry grapples with halted projects and rising costs, pressure is mounting on the government to find a sustainable solution to the cement shortage—one that balances local industry support with the needs of a sector critical to the nation’s development.
