By: Abdoulie Mustapha Dahaba
The Gambia is one of the smallest West African nations in terms of size and population. Despite the country’s miniature demographic size, it has an estimated 250,000 people living abroad. The diasporic community of the country comprises labor and imperial diasporans, trade diasporans, victim diasporans, etc. Because of its influential stance as a community, the diaspora significantly configures both The Gambia’s national and domestic affairs. The relationship between Gambia’s diaspora community and domestic electoral politics represents a complex dynamic of economic power, social influence, and political activism that shapes voter behavior despite recent setbacks in formal political representation.
In March 2025, the National Assembly of The Gambia rejected a clause in the Electoral Bill that would have granted voting rights to Gambians living abroad, sparking both domestic and diasporic outrage in the country. This formal exclusion from the ballot box can undoubtedly and significantly strengthen the diaspora’s influence over the country’s electoral outcomes through financial leverage, family networks, and political mobilization.
The Gambian diaspora wields substantial economic influence that translates directly into political capital. Their financial contributions represent a critical lifeline for both individual households and the broader national economy, creating powerful channels for influence over domestic electoral politics. According to The Gambia’s Central Bank, remittances from Gambians abroad reached an impressive USD 775.6 million in 2024, constituting more than 31 percent of the country’s GDP. This economic reality creates significant dependencies, with approximately one in every three Gambian households receiving financial support from family members in the diaspora. This economic footprint gives diaspora Gambians considerable leverage in shaping family members’ political perspectives. When diaspora members express political preferences, their financial support creates implicit incentives for relatives to consider these views when casting ballots. As noted by a diaspora representative, “Gambians in the Diaspora are playing a major role in the country’s development, particularly in the economy,” making their indirect influence on voting patterns potentially substantial.
Beyond individual remittances, the diaspora funds critical infrastructure and social programs that generate community-level political goodwill. Diaspora Gambians sponsor schools, hospitals, and community projects, directly improving the lives of Gambians at home. They provide scholarships, medical assistance, and community development initiatives that fill gaps in government services. My village, Niani Banni, is an evidential picture of the diasporans’ participation in developing their various domestic communities. The diaspora community of my village spent more than a million to fence our primary school, furnish classrooms with desks, and renovate the entire buildings of that school.
Additionally, they plan to help the entire ward with a community clinic in the village. These contributions create networks of beneficiaries who may feel indebted to diaspora perspectives on electoral matters. When diaspora members signal support for particular candidates or parties, these beneficiaries often consider such endorsements when voting.
Family structures in Gambian society typically involve significant deference to family members who support households financially. During election periods, diaspora Gambians actively engage in cross-border family consultations, expressing political preferences and electoral advice to relatives at home. While this influence is not formalized, it represents a powerful vector for shaping voting behavior. As one editorial noted, “if prevented from voting, the Diaspora Gambians, who render immense support to their families and other relatives in The Gambia, could influence them to vote for the candidates of their choice”. With more than 200,000 Gambians residing overseas, these informal consultations create a multipolar effect that can significantly impact election outcomes.
Furthermore, there is always electoral messaging through remittance channels. For instance, when diaspora Gambians send money home, these transfers are often accompanied by political discussions and electoral guidance. Financial support creates natural opportunities for sharing political perspectives, with relatives in Gambia usually receptive to such guidance given their economic dependence. The timing of remittances sometimes strategically aligns with electoral cycles, reinforcing the connection between financial support and political influence. This dynamic was explicitly acknowledged in The Point newspaper, which observed that diaspora Gambians “could make a significant impact in the voting pattern of the elections” through their influence over family members.
In the same context, most established Gambian political parties use diasporic party structure paradigms to maintain formal diaspora chapters that serve as extensions of their domestic political operations. For instance, the United Democratic Party (UDP) and the People’s Democratic Organization for Independence and Socialism (PDOIS) remain active in Europe and America, where their officials and members advocate for transformative politics. These structures ensure diaspora perspectives are incorporated into party platforms and campaign messaging. During election periods, these diaspora political chapters communicate directly with voters in the Gambia, shaping recommendations that influence electoral decisions.
The Gambian diaspora also leverages digital and social media platforms to shape political narratives and influence voter perspectives through virtual campaign activities that reach voters directly during electoral periods. During election seasons, diaspora-created political content—including analyses, endorsements, and critiques—circulates widely among domestic voters. This digital influence bypasses traditional media gatekeepers, allowing diaspora voices to reach voters unfiltered. The effectiveness of this approach was evident during the 2016 election that ended President Jammeh’s rule, where a diaspora-led media campaign gained significant traction among domestic voters. Similarly, the diaspora financially sustains independent media outlets that shape Gambia’s electoral coverages and political narratives. These investments in media infrastructure ensure that diaspora-aligned political perspectives receive prominent coverage during election periods. By supporting journalists and media platforms, diaspora Gambians indirectly influence how electoral issues are framed and discussed, ultimately affecting voter decision-making processes.
In conclusion, The Gambia diaspora’s influence on electoral decisions represents a complex interplay of economic power, social connections, and political activism transcending formal voting rights. Despite being denied direct electoral participation, diaspora Gambians can shape voter behavior through financial leverage, family networks, political mobilization, and digital engagement. Rather than diminishing this influence, the recent parliamentary rejection of diaspora voting rights may intensify alternative channels of electoral impact as diaspora communities seek to assert their political voice. The annual remittances provide substantial economic leverage that translates into political influence through family dependencies and community development projects. When combined with organized political advocacy and sophisticated digital campaigns, this economic power can significantly enable the diaspora to shape electoral narratives and voter decisions. As demonstrated during the pivotal 2016 election, diaspora influence can contribute to major political transitions without formal voting participation.
As Gambia continues its democratic journey, the relationship between diaspora influence and domestic electoral politics will remain crucial in shaping the country’s political landscape. The ongoing tension between formal exclusion and informal influence will likely drive further innovations in how diaspora Gambians engage with and shape electoral processes in our homeland. Understanding these dynamics is essential for any comprehensive analysis of Gambian electoral politics and the complex factors influencing voter decisions.
By: Abdoulie Mustapha Dahaba, MA International Relations and Strategic Thinking Lobachevsky State University, Nizhny Novgorod, Russia, Email: abdouliekannoz1@gmil.com
