Bensouda Vows to Scrap Securiport Contract and End D1,000 Airport Security Fee

By Staff Writer

Talib Ahmed Bensouda, leader of Coalition 2026, has pledged to terminate the government’s controversial contract with Securiport and abolish the D1,000 airport security fee imposed on passengers arriving in and departing from The Gambia.

Mr. Bensouda made the pledge on Sunday evening during a Coalition 2026 political rally in Bakoteh, signaling his intention to end an arrangement that has attracted years of public criticism over its cost, transparency and financial implications for the country.

The fee, equivalent to approximately $20 per passenger, is collected at Banjul International Airport from both arriving and departing travelers, including Gambians living abroad. A passenger making a round trip is therefore required to pay D2,000 in airport security charges.

The levy is part of an agreement between the Gambia government and Securiport LLC, a United States-based company contracted to provide aviation and immigration security services.

The arrangement has faced sustained scrutiny since the introduction of passenger fee collections in September 2020, with critics questioning the procurement process, revenue-sharing arrangements, and the financial burden placed on travelers.

A special audit by the National Audit Office raised concerns about the contract’s procurement and financial management. Auditors also identified weaknesses in revenue collection and government oversight.

The controversy has also reached the National Assembly, where lawmakers have questioned the government’s continued commitment to the agreement.

In July 2026, the National Assembly’s Public Enterprises Committee recommended that the ministries responsible for finance, interior and works review the Securiport agreement and consider its possible termination.

The Barrow administration, however, has resisted calls to abolish the levy. Earlier this year, Vice President Muhammed Jallow told lawmakers that the government was not considering removing the airport security fee, despite complaints from travelers and tourism industry stakeholders.

Tourism operators have also expressed concerns that the additional airport charges undermine The Gambia’s competitiveness as a tourist destination.

For Gambians in the diaspora, who frequently travel home to visit relatives, attend family events and invest in the country, the fee represents an additional expense on top of already costly international airfares.

Mr. Bensouda’s announcement places the Securiport agreement among the issues emerging in the political debate ahead of the December presidential election, drawing a distinction between Coalition 2026’s stated position and the Barrow administration’s approach.

However, terminating the agreement could raise legal and financial questions, including potential contractual obligations and the future financing of airport security services.

Mr. Bensouda did not, in the information immediately available from Sunday’s rally, outline how his administration would address those obligations or replace the services currently provided under the contract.

His pledge nevertheless brings renewed political attention to an agreement that has faced years of scrutiny from auditors, lawmakers, tourism stakeholders and members of the traveling public.

For passengers who have repeatedly called for the fee’s removal, the proposal represents a potential change in policy should Coalition 2026 win the presidency in December.