The Gambia is one of the least populous countries in West Africa. Located on the Atlantic Ocean and bordered by the Republic of Senegal, it has a land mass of 10 120km2 and a population of approximately 2.8 million.⁵ The Gambia is densely populated in urban areas with the urban population estimated at 57% of the total population.⁶ Banjul is the capital city and economic centre of the country with Brikama, Serrekunda, and Tanjeh being the largest and most populous urban areas.⁷ The persistent increase in migration from rural to urban areas puts pressure on housing demand, with the country considered one of the most densely populated on the continent.⁸ Limited housing access often creates other social problems especially around health, with child stunting in particular linked to inadequate housing infrastructure and basic sanitation.⁹ The most recent numbers show a housing deficit of over 128 874 housing units.¹⁰

The Gambian government does not directly invest in housing development and finance but rather facilitates this through institutions such as the Social Security and Housing Finance Corporation (SSHFC) and private sector participation.¹¹ The government facilitates private sector participation by relaxing requirements to set up real estate businesses and by removing barriers to the ownership and development of land for domestic and commercial use. The SSHFC has not achieved any significant housing developments, with no records of projects beyond 2019.¹² Home Finance Company Limited (HFC), unprofitable for a good part of its business life, went into voluntary liquidation in November 2021. Its functions now appear to have been taken over by theTrust Bank to which it is now linked.¹³

The Gambian democracy is still growing although since the election of President Adama Barrow, there are continuing issues of the stifling of free speech with government critics and journalists being jailed.¹⁴ The country’s Global Freedom score stands at 47 out of 100 and civil liberties especially are not equally accessible for all citizens.¹⁵

The economy continues to be resilient fuelled by the agricultural sector. The Gambia’s real Gross Domestic Product (GDP) grew by 5.6% in 2023.¹⁶ This showed growth from the 4.9% growth of 2022.¹⁷ Based on the current GDP rate and outstanding mortgages, the ratio of the value of outstanding mortgages to the GDP is only 0.03%. The country’s main economic sectors are agriculture and related industry with tourism also a contributor.¹⁸ The Gambian currency, Dalasi, performed well over the past year continuing its 2023 gain of 0.9% against the US dollar and continuing to be one of the best performing currencies on the African continent; this gain continues to be driven by tourism. ¹⁹

Inflation endured, although the headline Consumer Price Index (CPI) inflation rate decreased from 17.3% in December 2023 to 14.94% in March 2024.²⁰ This was despite the continued increase in food inflation to 19.74%.²¹ There have been hopes since 2023 that the inflation rate would decrease over time into 2024; and though it has, food inflation continues to be high which affects affordability.²²

With climate change affecting the livelihoods, and food security of many citizens, the region continues to suffer flooding and severe windstorms, causing the displacement of many people.²³ The country is among the most vulnerable to the effects of climate change in the world, especially since it is in the top 10 countries most threatened by coastal erosion. Furthermore, climate change can exacerbate issues around housing, unemployment, and livelihoods.²⁴ The government has put in place a strategy to respond to climate change effects, but with an economy and populace largely reliant on the informal sector and agriculture for food sources, changing weather extremes are consistently setting back initiatives to alleviate poverty

Financial inclusion remains low, with 69% of the population not having access to a transactional account at a financial institution.²⁵ Though the rates of poverty continue to decrease, moving from 13.5% of the population living in extreme poverty in 2015 to 10.4% in 2019; there continue to be challenges around affordability.²⁶ Where housing access is already so difficult, the decline in income is negatively impacting the level of access to finance for many households, especially women and youth. Youth are especially affected by a lack of access, with 77% not having any access to formal financial institutions – a serious challenge as youth below the age of 24 make up around 60% of the population.²⁷

The Central Bank of Gambia (CBG) is making efforts to improve access to financial services, with a specific focus on youth and women. It launched a strategy in 2023 with the goal of increasing financial inclusion to 70% by 2025 from the current inclusion rate of 19%, and 12% using informal financial services.²⁸ This strategy is focused more on youth and women-owned businesses and has provided loans to that end. There is no indication of similar initiatives to improve housing affordability. Digital banking services are being improved as a way of improving access, especially for people based in rural areas far from the banks or city centres and towns. However, mobile money use is still low across the country.²⁹

The Gambia has 12 active commercial banks with one of them being an Islamic bank. ³⁰ The country has 72 registered active micro-finance institutions.³¹ The banking system is relatively strong with private sector credit at 12.2% in 2023 against 25.4% in 2022³² and capital adequacy and liquidity ratios continuing to maintain the requirements of regulatory frameworks by the end of December 2023. The nonperforming loan ratio (NPL) dropped further to 3.3% by the end of December 2023 from 4.6% in December 2022.³³ Much of this sustainability is driven by the central bank through the support of the International Monetary Fund (IMF) towards improving monetary policy frameworks and implementing recommended reforms.³⁴

Data explicitly focused on the banking sector targeting the accessibility of housing finance for women continues to be difficult to obtain for The Gambia. Women are not restricted in borrowing from the bank either through legal frameworks or local customs but require relevant familial consent to use any family-owned properties as collateral when borrowing from the bank. Though the availability of this information is not consistent, it appears that loan tenures have a maximum of 20 years depending on the finance product, with a deposit of up to 30% of the cost of the house required.³⁵

The closure of the only mortgage-dedicated institution, the Home Finance Company Limited (HFC), has made it difficult to get long-term housing loans since commercial banks do not offer that service fully. The SSHFC is the only government institution mandated to provide affordable housing to middle income earners. However, the SSHFC has not embarked on any new housing developments since 2019, and this has depleted the stock of affordable housing in the country. Finally, a credit reference bureau, which banks are mandated to access before extending credit to any customer, does operate at the CBG. This facility is not yet available to non-bank financial institutions.³⁶

The Gambia has some of the highest housing prices on the continent when considering per capita income.³⁷ Housing prices are more than double those of Botswana and South Africa, which have comparatively higher per capita incomes. Densely populated cities like Banjul suffer from high rental and housing costs, especially with the large gaps between supply and demand.³⁸

Most middle-income households cannot afford to buy or build a house, especially as the country relies on imports of raw materials for construction. The average public servant earns between D41 220 (US$606) – D51 192 (US$753).³⁹ With the unemployment rate a knotty problem, and most of the population employed in the informal sector, affordability is a continuing challenge. Mortgage providers and developers normally require a down payment of between 20% and 35% of the cost of the house. The price of the cheapest, newly built house by a formal developer or contractor in an urban area for 2024 is D2.2 million (US$32 352).⁴⁰ Houses for sale in Banjul’s high-end urban areas have higher prices ranging from D13.9 million (US$204 522) to D33.9 million (US$499 497) depending on the proximity to the beach for a two bedroom house. In Brikama, which is more inland, properties of the same size can be around D7.4 million (US$109 250).⁴¹ Other urban areas like Gunjur have property prices ranging from D2.2 million (US$32 352) to D8 million (US$117 643) for two bedroom houses in new developments.⁴² Most newly built houses built by a contractor in an urban area are around 45m2.⁴³

There is no source of centralised data to track and report on the rental and purchase prices of houses in either urban or rural areas. These are generally published on the websites of individual developers and real estate agents, and this does not facilitate price comparisons. Since the real estate sector is largely unregulated, agents also charge a premium for any extra services. Furthermore, the central and regional governments in charge of land administration provide no meaningful financial assistance to procure land or build on existing land. No public funds are allocated for this purpose; thus, it is largely left to the private sector.⁴⁴ Estimates and public information indicate that it costs anything from D1 000 (US$14) to D16 500 (US$243) a month to rent a one- or three-bedroom apartment in the urban areas of Gambia.⁴⁵ The median cost of a house in The Gambia is D31 319 (US$461).⁴⁶

The most common typology of housing in rural Gambia is a metal-roofed house with closed eaves, and traditional houses with thatched roofs and open eaves.⁴⁷ Modern housing structures have mud or cement block walls, metal roofs and closed eaves. A survey of 400 randomly selected houses in the rural Upper River Region of the Gambia found predominantly single-roomed structures with an external base area of 4.2m2, walls that were 2.2m high constructed from sunbaked mud blocks, a front and back door on opposite sides, and 20cm high concrete beams at the top to reinforce the walls.⁴⁸

The SSHFC, which was established through an act of law, is a key provider of affordable housing and is the largest estate developer in Gambia, providing 6 000 affordable housing units in the last 38 years.⁴⁹ The SSHFC’s main objectives are to “finance affordable housing developments in The Gambia, make direct investments in housing and real estate projects either alone or in partnership with approved bodies, develop, administer and manage real estates, administer and manage repayment of all housing loans and grants and provide finance for housing and real estate activities”.⁵⁰ The Housing Finance Fund (HFF) of the SSHFC has identified 26 sites in the major growth centres of the country for affordable housing, including its first-ever rural housing project of about 650 serviced plots in Nafugan. A total of about 369 serviced plots were demarcated and sold in phases between 2018 and 2020 in Brusubi.⁵¹ One source confirms 31 construction companies in the Gambia.⁵² A permit is required, and construction costs vary between about D23 555/m2 – D39 259/m2 (US$346/m2 – US$577/m2), depending on the building design and quality of materials used.⁵³

The Gambia is an import-based economy, and most construction materials are imported which makes construction costly.⁵⁴ A bag of cement costs about D425 (US$6), corrugated iron sheets range between D2 300 – D2 600 (US$33 – US$38), a drum393 of acrylic paint costs about D3 900 (US$57), and steel rods range between D425 – D1 000 (US$6 – US$15).⁵⁵ Building material costs generally increase by 8.8% annually.⁵⁶ Interest rates on mortgages offered were on average at 19.5%.⁵⁷

The Gambia real estate market is projected to reach about D1.6 trillion (US$24.4 billion) in 2024, with the residential market having a 90% share of this at about D1.1 trillion (US$18 billion).⁵⁸ There are six procedures to register a property, and this has remained consistent for more than 15 years.⁵⁹ In the period January – December 2021, 614 leases and 1 761 deeds were registered.⁶⁰ More recent data is not available since then. Property registration is central to protecting ownership rights, particularly in the context of rising land disputes, which are compounded by land scarcity, among other issues.⁶¹

Monthly rental for an 85m2 furnished accommodation in an affluent area costs D25 000 (US$368) per month. It costs D15 000 (US$221) for the same property size in a normal area and it costs D2 267 (US$33) in utilities, such as electricity and water, for two people.⁶² Monthly rental for a 45m2 furnished studio in an expensive area is D11 000 (US$162) and D7 000 (US$103) in a normal area.⁶³ A one-bedroom apartment outside the city centre is D5 855 (US$86), a three bedroom in the city centre is D18 000 (US$265) and D10 000 (US$147) outside the city centre.⁶⁴ Buying an apartment in the city centre costs D103 042 (US$1 515) or D68 694/m2 (US$1 010/m2).⁶⁵

The number of mortgage providers remains unchanged at two. According to CBG, three types of microfinance providers operate in the Gambia, namely Village Saving and Credit Associations, of which there are 69, three finance companies, and fiduciary financial institutions.⁶⁶ It is noteworthy that most property purchases are made by citizens in the diaspora due to many local Gambians being unable to afford buying property and labour laws preventing banks from deducting more than a third of an employee’s salary for a mortgage repayment.⁶⁷ According to the Housing Finance Corporation, the licensed mortgaged providers have a recorded value of D51 681 900 (US$760 000)of outstanding residential mortgages at the end of the 2021 calendar year; the total of which is 7 000 mortgages.

The process to purchase land which is under customary tenure is a five-step procedure involving both traditional and state counterparts costing up to D5 000 (US$74). Capital gains tax between 5-10% of the sale price is paid by the estate agent or the seller. The details of the transfer are captured in a computerised system.⁶⁸ Estate agents are not adequately regulated, thus exposing consumers to manipulation and price gouging by some.

A recent court ruling prohibits landlords from demanding payment in foreign currency. The use of foreign currency was considered an unfair practice which placed an extraordinary financial burden on tenants and undermined the local currency. This ruling has brought attention to the rental market in its entirety, giving rise to calls to outlaw the practice of demanding rental payments six months in advance, in a bid to protect tenants.⁶⁹

The Gambia is characterised by “a complex system of interlinked statutory and customary regulations and practices, in which religion and ethnicity play important roles in influencing how women and men can access land and resource rights”.⁷⁰ Although private property rights are protected in law and those of women through the Women’s Act of 2010, women remain vulnerable, particularly in rural settings.⁷¹ Inheritance, for example, is governed by religious law for those who practice that religion. Women make up 75% of the agricultural workforce but less than one fifth own land.⁷²

Findings indicate that there is a need for the government to provide systematic mechanisms to resolve land disputes arising from unclear land titling on one hand and the coexistence of traditional and state law on the other. The Local Government Act of 2022 empowers state-appointed local and district chiefs, including women, to administer land matters such as titling.^{73, 74} The Gambia has no national land policy, thus compromising the ability to plan land use and leading to land disputes between indigenous communities and the state, and customary landowners and real estate agencies.⁷⁵ In 2007, a Land Commission (LC) was established to improve land administration in the country, by advising on land administration policy, investigating land disputes, assessing land rent, monitoring the property registration process, and inspecting property registers, among others. However, the LC’s capacity to fulfil these functions is limited due to inadequate resources.⁷⁶ Despite the challenges linked to climate change that the country faces, as well as the shift towards green housing especially in the development sector, there is no specific legislation that promotes environmentally sustainable practices in the construction sector.

These legal and policy shortcomings are compounded by the high urbanisation rate, particularly in the Greater Banjul area, where 97% of the population live in informal settlements, with little or no access to basic services such as water. The nature of these settlements gives rise to tenure insecurity and high levels of evictions. The state’s land record systems, which are currently administered by separate authorities, also need to be integrated.⁷⁷ The Association of Real Estate Companies (AREC) has proposed guidelines to regulate the industry and these under consideration by the relevant government ministries.⁷⁸

The Gambia continues to be a promising housing investment country as there continue to be large gaps in the provision of housing for the country’s citizens. Even with the challenges of affordability that many citizens face, the rapid urbanisation of the country allows for adjacent developments such as shopping and recreation centres in the proximity of housing developments. The participation of the private sector to support the government towards affordable housing development also creates an opportunity for public private partnerships. The Gambian economy is especially showing promise of growth as the tourism sector continues to grow and the agricultural sector is also strengthening; this could lead to more formal job growth and therefore an increase in affordability for more citizens. Additionally, the growth of the construction sector could also allow for more localisation of construction materials.

An important census was completed earlier in 2024 and the data it will provide will allow for more insights into the state of infrastructure in the country. It will provide perspective into the kinds of housing and other infrastructure opportunities that lie ahead for the country. Understanding housing typologies, especially informal housing structures, in the country will create a better perspective on the housing structures that exist especially with how little data is readily available. 2013 data shows that the cumulative count of housing inventory units in rural and urban areas is 145 080 – this data is very outdated, and the latest census will allow greater visibility of this data.⁸⁰

A focus on green housing – as well as the creation of opportunities for the use of different technologies – is also an important focus as challenges around climate change continue to be a factor for the country. Many development organisations are focusing on this; understanding the state of informal housing with clear statistical data will help to inform the full scope of these opportunities for the country for consideration in the coming years. With the government being a large custodian of land, public private partnerships will continue to be important – additionally, involving the government will help progress policy as it continues to require effective lobbying for better reforms in the housing sector.⁸¹

Affordable housing also continues to need support from both government and financial institutions especially on the low-income end of the market. Again, the only viable way that this can be done is in partnership with government. There is a lot of incentive to get the public sector involved as there is a prevalently low delivery rate on affordable housing up to this point.⁸² The challenges of delivery in affordable housing also create the case for why incremental housing development could be a useful approach to improving access to housing for low income households and could be a worthwhile investment in housing development.

Key information and data required to compile a comprehensive profile is difficult to obtain for The Gambia. No data is available on the number of registered properties and the number of newly registered properties in the country. Additionally, no up-to-date reports are available through the country’s own government ministries, with most being available through international organisations like the IMF. Some of the data could therefore not be updated as the 2022 data was collected in person by the author at that time through interviews with relevant government representatives. It has therefore been difficult to quantify most of the challenges as accurately as possible. Additionally, population data and rental housing prices are largely estimates based on publicly available information including rental property websites and real estate agents. This means that the data is not fully verifiable as accurate and depictive of the state of housing in The Gambia.

Additionally, information on affordable housing projects is also difficult to find. This can be attributed to the general scarcity of housing information about the Gambia available online.

Social Security and Housing Finance Corporation: https://www.sshfc.gm
Attorney General’s Chambers and Ministry of Justice: https://www.moj.gm
Home Finance Company of The Gambia: https://trustbankgambia.com/homefinance-company-limited/
Ministry of Lands, Regional Government, & Religious Affairs: https://molrg.gov.gm
Gambia Competition and Consumer Protection Commission: https://gcc.gm

Government-led affordable rental housing projects that are currently being implemented in The Gambia are difficult to find; especially recent records of active projects that are actively being implemented.⁸³ However, there are some companies based in the country who provide innovative housing solutions to make construction more affordable and less time-consuming. These companies appear to be profit-making even though some work with international development organisations and non-profits to ensure the availability of affordable housing.⁸⁴ It is worth noting that these projects have not necessarily been specified as rental housing projects neither has there been evidence showing that construction on these projects has begun. There is not much more detail available than the concepts presented and outlined on the company’s websites.

Phioneers is one such organisation looking to improve infrastructure access to low-income communities across West Africa including in The Gambia. They have developed a Phioneers Housing Project concept targeted at low-income households, although these would still mainly be families qualifying as first-time home buyers.⁸⁵ The concept incorporates low cost material usage with an eco-friendly design to withstand the Gambian climate.

1. Social Security and Housing Finance Corporation. (2024). SSHFC Housing Projects/Programmes. https://www.sshfc.gm/housing-finance1 (Accessed 31 July 2024).
2. The Voice Gambia. (2024). Hamat Says Gov’t to Initiate Affordable Housing Scheme. https://tinyurl.com/yc44xt2a (Accessed 02 August 2024).
3. The World Bank. (2024).The World Bank inThe Gambia. https://www.worldbank.org/en/country/gambia/overview (Accessed 07 August 2024).
4. Association of Estate Companies Gambia. (2024).ARECG’s Affordable Housing Advocacy: Addressing Housing Needs for All. https://www.arecg.org/affordableHousing (Accessed 28 July 2024).
5. Worldometer (2023). Gambia Population.
6. See footnote 3.
7. Africopolis. (2024).Visualise urbanisation in Africa. https://africapolis.org/en. (Accessed 13 August 2024).
8. Faal, E. (2024).The Gambia must invest in its future by building a sustainable housing market. https://tinyurl.com/mrur8sta (Accessed 07 August 2024).
9. Husseini, M, Darboe, M.K., Moore, S.E., Nabwera, H.M., Prentice,A.M (2018).Thresholds of socio-economic and environmental conditions necessary to escape from childhood malnutrition: a natural experiment in rural Gambia. Pg 8.
10. TheWorld Bank Group,Africa Finance Corporation (November 2021). Introducing the Adequate Housing Index (AHI) – A New Approach to Estimate the Adequate Housing DeficitWithin and Across Emerging Economies. Pg. 65.
11. SSHFC Housing Finance (2023). https://www.sshfc.gm/housing-finance1 (Accessed 31 July 2024).
12. Ibid.
13. Trust Bank Annual Report. (2023). https://trustbankgambia.com/annual-reports/ Page 50. (Accessed 07 August 2024).
14. Deutsche Welle. (2023). Free Speech: Is Gambia sliding back into dictatorship? https://www.dw.com/en/freespeech-is-gambia-sliding-back-into-dictatorship/a-67053483 (Accessed 07 August 2024).
15. Freedom House. Freedom in the World 2022:The Gambia. https://freedomhouse.org/country/gambia/freedomworld/2022 (Accessed 29 September 2023).
16. International Monetary Fund. (2024). Real GDP Growth.
17. Ibid.
18. See footnote 3.
19. Adeola, O. (2023). Gambia. Gambia’s dalasi retains its position as Africa’s best-performing currency. https://tinyurl.com/3cd258db (Accessed 07 August 2024).
20. Gambia Bureau of Statistics. (2024). Consumer Price Index March 2024. https://tinyurl.com/3cd258db (Accessed 2 September 2024). Pg 3.
21. Ibid.
22. Trading Economics. (2024). Gambia Food Inflation. https://tradingeconomics.com/gambia/food-inflation (Accessed 8 August 2024).
23. Ighobor, K. (2022). Effective climate action will help the Gambia’s peace and stability. 18 November 2022.Africa Renewal.
24. Government ofThe Gambia Ministry of Environment, Climate Change and Resources (2022).The Gambia’s Long-term Climate-neutral Development Strategy 2050. Pg 68.
25. See footnote 10.
26. Kouame,W.A., Niyongabo, E., Boroffice, F., Pardo, R. (2023).Accelerating Financial Inclusion to Unleash the Growth Potential of The Gambia.
27. Hilger,A., Ng, O., Konadu, O.A., (2023). Stop solving only half the problem: Human capital through the eyes of the Gambian youth. Pg. 9.
28. Alliance for Financial Inclusion (2023).The Gambia: Bringing formal financial services to 70% of adults by 2025.
29. See footnote 26.
30. Privacy Shield Framework (2023). Gambia Country Commercial Guide. Gambia – Banking Systems.
31. Central Bank of the Gambia (2023). List of Licensed Microfinance Institutions. https://www.cbg.gm/list-of-licensedmicrofinance-institutions (Accessed 30 September 2023).
32. Taylor, R. (2024). 2024 Investment Climate Statements:The Gambia. https://tinyurl.com/yck63t37 (Accessed 10 August 2024).
33. Ibid.
34. International Monetary Fund (2023). Country Report No. 23/216.
35. Gambia Information Site (2023). Home Finance Company ofThe Gambia Limited.
    https://www.accessgambia.com/extra/home-finance-company.html (Accessed 30 – September 2023).
36. Jatta, H. Centre for Affordable Housing Finance (2022).Africa Housing FinanceYearbook 2022. Pg. 110.
37. World Bank Group (2015). Stocktaking of the Housing Sector in Sub-Saharan Africa Summary Report.
38. Affordable Housing Activation. (2024). Cement Block Banking inThe Gambia. https://tinyurl.com/mrxtu7d3 (Accessed 10 August 2024).
39. Jallow, O. (2021). Implementation of Anti-CorruptionTreaties and Standards (Impacts) Global Project.
    https://tinyurl.com/ybfp2eh9 (Accessed 13 August 2024). Pg. 13.
40. Gamrealty (2024). https://tinyurl.com/2wsdtxne (Accessed 02 September 2024).
41. Properstar. (2024). Properties for sale in Banjul. https://www.properstar.co.za/the-gambia/buy (Accessed 2 September 2024).
42. See footnote 40.
43. Expatistan. (2024). Cost of Living in Gambia.
44. See footnote 8.
45. Global Properties. (2024). https://www.globalpropertiesafrica.com/rental/Gambia?sorting=high (Accessed 2 September 2024).
46. Properstar (2024).The Gambia: housing price and price/m2.
47. Knudsen, J. et al. (2020). Measuring ventilation in different typologies of rural Gambian houses: a pilot experimental study. Malaria Journal.Article 273. Pg. 3.
48. Ibid.
49. Social Security & Housing Finance Corporation.About SSHFC. https://www.sshfc.gm/about-sshfc (Accessed 10 August 2024).
50. Social Security & Housing Finance Corporation (2020).Activity Report 2020. Pg. 7.
51. Ibid.
52. Access Gambia (2023). Building firms in Gambia.   https://tinyurl.com/26ruhuep (Accessed 30 September 2023).
53. Access Gambia (2023). Cost of Building Materials in Gambia.
54. Export.gov. (2019). Gambia – construction. https://legacy.export.gov/article?id=Gambia-Construction (Accessed 30 September 2023).
55. See footnote 37.
56. See footnote 22.
57. Trading Economics. (2024). Gambia Lending Interest Rates. https://tradingeconomics.com/gambia/lending-interestrate-percent-wb-data.html (Accessed 13 August 2024).
58. Statista. Real Estate – Gambia. https://www.statista.com/outlook/fmo/real-estate/residential-real-estate/gambia (Accessed 11 August 2024).
59. Index Mundi (2019).The Gambia – Procedures to register property (number).
60. Saho. M. (2022). Registrar General unveils annual statistics report. https://www.moj.gm/news/e26bfd1c-a382-11ec-8f4f-025103a708b7 (Accessed 30 September 2023).
61. Land Portal (2019). Increasing land conflicts in Gambia. https://tinyurl.com/3kxdtu3p (Accessed 30 September 2023).
62. Expatistan. Cost of living in Gambia. https://www.expatistan.com/cost-of-living/country/gambia (Accessed 30 September 2023).
63. Ibid.
64. Numbeo (2023). Cost of living in Gambia.
65. Ibid.
66. Central Bank ofThe Gambia.Types of Microfinance Institutions (MFIS). https://www.cbg.gm/types-of-microfinanceinstitutions (Accessed 30 September 2023).
67. Gambia Competition and Consumer Protection Commission (2020). Study on the state of consumer welfare in the real estate industry. Pg. 7.
68. Ibid. Pg. 8.
69. BNN (2023). Gambian High Court rules that it’s illegal for landlords to demand rent payment in foreign currency.
70. Centre for International Forestry Research. Women’s land rights in The Gambia. Pg. 5.
71. See footnote 53.
72. Land Portal (2022). Gambia – context and land governance. https://landportal.org/book/narratives/2022/gambia (Accessed 30 September 2023).
73. See footnote 53. Pg. 14.
74. BTI. Gambia Country Report 2022. https://btiproject.org/en/reports/country-report/GMB (Accessed 30 September 2023).
75. See footnote 71
76. See footnote 53. Pg. 9.
77. See footnote 71.
78. See footnote 53. Pg. 11.
79. UNFPA. (2024). Embracing the Digital Age:The Gambia conducted its first ever digital population and housing census. https://tinyurl.com/2rmsdnvn (Accessed 11 August 2024).
80. Gambia Bureau of Statistics. (2013). Population and Housing Census. https://www.gbosdata.org/downloads-file/6-census-2013-compounds-and-buildings-structures. Page viii.
81. See footnote 67.
82. See footnote 47.
83. Social Security and Housing Finance Corporation. (2024). SSHFC Housing Projects/Programmes. https://www.sshfc.gm/housing-finance1 (Accessed 31 July 2024).
84. Karmod. Affordable Social Housing for Low Income in Gambia. (2024).
    https://www.karmod.com/en/blog/affordable-social-housing-in-gambia/ (Accessed 31 July 2024).
85. Phioneers. (2024).TheTransGambia Eco-lodge Mansakonko,The Gambia,West Africa. https://www.phioneers.com/projects (Accessed 31 July 2024)