BARROW2026 REVIEW OF THE WEEK 20–26 September 2026
September 27, 2026
We begin with football, because this has certainly been a memorable week for Gambian football.
The Baby Scorpions gave the country something to celebrate when they defeated Senegal to become WAFU Zone A Under-17 champions. After a goalless final in Dakar, The Gambia won five-three on penalties. The victory also secured qualification for the Under-17 Africa Cup of Nations.
The young champions returned home to a warm reception, with supporters lining the streets to welcome them. It was a proud moment for the players, their coaches and Gambian football generally.
Then came another big football moment on Friday.
The senior Scorpions faced Somalia at Independence Stadium in their opening AFCON 2027 qualifier. President Adama Barrow purchased and donated one thousand tickets to encourage supporters to attend the match, and he joined Gambians at the stadium as the country rallied behind the national team.
The Scorpions responded with a two-one victory over Somalia, beginning their qualifying campaign with three points. Ebrima Colley scored from the penalty spot before Muhammed Badamosi found the net late in the match.
Away from football, infrastructure was again in focus.
President Barrow inspected the Kotu Bridge and Sukuta-Jabang Overpass during the week. The Sukuta-Jabang Overpass was reported to be about ninety percent complete, with the government saying it is expected to open to traffic in October. The project was undertaken to address one of the most difficult traffic bottlenecks along the Bertil Harding Highway corridor.
The Kotu Bridge is also progressing, with the main construction works expected to be completed in early November. These are projects that many Gambians can see taking shape, and their real test will be the difference they make to movement, safety and everyday travel when completed.
There was also news this week about improving government services.
The Ministry of Lands told the National Assembly that a new digital land-management system could eventually reduce the processing of properly documented land leases to as little as three days. The ministry says it is also working through a longstanding backlog and currently processes about fifty files a week. Regional offices are being developed as part of efforts to bring land services closer to communities.
On the political front, campaigning and political activity continued across the country.
At an NPP youth rally in Kerewan on Wednesday, Deputy National Youth President Lamin K. Saidy responded to criticism from National Democratic Party leader Kebba Madi Bojang and challenged his account of his departure from the NPP.
As the December presidential election draws closer, political exchanges are clearly becoming sharper. Gambians can expect the pace of political activity to increase considerably over the coming weeks.
And one major development announced this week will take President Barrow directly across the country.
The 2026 Meet the People Tour begins on October 1 and is scheduled to run for nineteen days. The programme includes twenty-one general meetings, twenty-four project site visits, and seven inauguration and handing-over ceremonies. The annual tour is a constitutional requirement and provides an opportunity for communities to raise concerns directly with the President while government officials assess projects and public services on the ground.
So, as we close another week, the picture is a varied one: major road projects moving closer to completion, efforts to modernise public services, increasing political activity ahead of December, and two football victories that gave Gambians plenty to celebrate.
From the Baby Scorpions becoming champions in Dakar, to the senior Scorpions winning at home, it has certainly been a week filled with moments of national pride.
And with the Meet the People Tour beginning next week, attention will now shift to communities across the country, the issues they raise, the projects being implemented, and the conversations that will shape the weeks ahead.
That was the Barrow2026 Review of the Week.
