By Fatou Sillah
Nearly 900 Gambians have died this year attempting to reach Europe through irregular migration routes known locally as the “Backway,” the country’s foreign affairs minister told lawmakers on Wednesday, underscoring the mounting human toll of a journey that continues to draw thousands.
Appearing before the National Assembly, Sering Modou Njie, The Gambia’s Minister of Foreign Affairs, International Cooperation, and Gambians Abroad, said that 893 Gambians were reported dead in 2025 while attempting to migrate irregularly. More than 1,254 others remain missing, he said, and 46 boats are believed to have disappeared without a trace.
“Eight hundred ninety-three Gambians reportedly lost their lives; more than 1,254 remain missing,” Mr. Njie said.
The figures, he cautioned, reflect the difficulty of tracking migration undertaken largely in secrecy. “Compiling a comprehensive list of individuals involved in irregular migration is not feasible due to the clandestine nature of such journeys,” he told lawmakers.
Despite stepped-up enforcement efforts, the flow has continued. Mr. Njie said that approximately 6,173 Gambians were reported to have reached Europe irregularly in 2025, as migration pressure intensified.
Data cited by the minister from the Gambia Immigration Department, the International Organization for Migration, and Frontex indicate that tens of thousands of Gambians have arrived in Europe over the past decade. Between 2015 and 2020, he said, more than 33,000 Gambians reportedly reached Europe through irregular routes. In a shorter span—from January 2017 to March 2018—8,681 arrivals were recorded.
“The historical trend between 2015 and 2020 is that over 33,000 Gambians reportedly arrived in Europe irregularly; between January 2017 and March 2018 alone, 8,681 Gambians reportedly also arrived in Europe,” he said.
The government has responded with a series of interception operations across the country. In 2025, Mr. Njie said, authorities conducted 77 operations nationwide, intercepting 2,297 migrants, arresting 40 suspected smugglers, and seizing 16 boats.
“The national interceptions in 2025: 77 interception operations were conducted nationwide, 2,297 migrants intercepted, 40 suspected smugglers arrested, and 16 boats seized,” he said.
The minister said the migration flow remains overwhelmingly male. Of those intercepted this year, 1,939 were men, and 358 were women. Among them were 146 minors and 21 pregnant women, he said.
He added that those apprehended alongside Gambian nationals included migrants from neighboring countries such as Senegal and Guinea, reflecting the regional character of the route.
Irregular migration through the Backway, Mr. Njie said, remains a complex national challenge that demands sustained coordination between domestic agencies and international partners.
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