Government Plans Sharp Cut in Vehicle Spending in 2027

By Fatou Sillah

The Gambia government plans to sharply reduce spending on official vehicles in 2027, projecting expenditures of D257.29 million, down from D852.20 million approved for 2026, as part of a broader effort to rein in public spending.

The figures are contained in the government’s 2027–2029 Program-Based Budget, which outlines fiscal policy measures aimed at controlling the cost of purchasing, fueling, and maintaining government vehicles.

According to the budget document, actual government spending on vehicles reached D1.17 billion in 2025, prompting officials to call for tighter controls on what they described as a substantial drain on public resources.

“There is an urgent need for a policy to curb the substantial resources allocated to vehicles,” the document states. It notes that spending totaled D1.17 billion in 2025, while D852.20 million was approved for 2026 and D257.29 million is projected for 2027.

“This trend may continue unless constrained,” the government said.

The planned 2027 allocation represents a reduction of nearly D595 million, or about 70 percent, from the amount approved for 2026. Compared with actual spending in 2025, the proposed 2027 expenditure would amount to a reduction of roughly 78 percent.

The vehicle policy forms part of a wider fiscal consolidation effort outlined in the budget. The government said it would continue to avoid non-concessional borrowing, including for development projects, and instead pursue financing on concessional terms.

The budget also projects a gross fiscal deficit of D87.351 million in 2027, equivalent to 0.04 percent of gross domestic product.

“The deficit will be financed in accordance with the Medium-Term Debt Strategy (MTDS) objective of meeting financing needs at a minimum cost, subject to a prudent degree of risk,” the document states.

The proposed reduction in vehicle spending reflects the government’s broader effort to contain expenditure and borrowing as it seeks to strengthen public finances and reduce pressure on the national budget.