For several years, air travellers entering and leaving The Gambia have been required to pay a mandatory airport security fee, currently set at the equivalent of USD 20. The payment is demanded in cash immediately before immigration clearance, and failure to pay may result in the confiscation of a traveller’s passport and denial of travel.
This practice has generated sustained public concern. Ordinary Gambians, members of the diaspora, tourists, and business travellers have repeatedly questioned the legal basis of the fee, the transparency of its collection, and how the funds raised are managed. These concerns have been echoed in reports by the National Audit Office, in public statements by elected representatives, and in correspondence from international aviation bodies.
Despite this, the contract governing the airport security arrangements, the laws authorising the fee, and the financial accountability structures behind its collection have never been made public. The beneficial ownership and governance structure of Securicorp LLC, the US-registered private company tasked with collecting the fee, also remain hidden from public view.
Against this background, Gambian lawyer Ousman F. M’Bai has submitted a formal Access to Information request to the Government of The Gambia pursuant to the Access to Information Act, 2021.
The request seeks disclosure of documents relating to:
- the airport security contract and any extensions;
- the legal basis for imposing and enforcing the security fee;
- exemptions applied to certain categories of travellers;
- revenue collection, sharing, and audit arrangements;
- procurement processes and executive approvals; and
- oversight by domestic and international aviation institutions.
Mr M’Bai says the request is not an allegation of wrongdoing, but a call for transparency. “Where public money is compulsorily extracted, particularly at the national border and under coercive conditions, the public is entitled to know by what authority this is done, how themoney is managed, and whether the law is being applied equally,” he said.
Mr M’Bai noted that security fees are not objectionable in themselves where they genuinely enhance airport safety, but they must be lawful, transparent, and accountable. The Access to Information Act was enacted precisely to address matters of this nature.
For that reason, this outlet has agreed to publish the ATI request in full. Readers should understand that the letter marks the beginning of a lawful process, not its conclusion.
The Act provides the Government with a clear opportunity to respond, disclose, and, where appropriate, clarify or correct. The full text of the Access to Information request appears below.
To:
The Information Officer
Ministry of Transport, Works and Infrastructure
MDI Road, Kanifing
By Email: info@motwi.gov.gm
Date: 22nd January 2026
Ref: OFM/22/01/2026/1
REQUEST FOR ACCESS TO INFORMATION UNDER THE ACCESS TO
INFORMATION ACT, 2021
Dear Information Officer,
I write pursuant to sections 17 and 18 of the Access to Information Act, 2021, to request access to information held by the Government of The Gambia concerning the imposition, collection, management, and enforcement of airport security fees at Banjul International Airport, and the contractual arrangements underpinning those practices.
This request is made in the public interest and concerns matters of legality, transparency, accountability, public finance, equality before the law, and the exercise of public functions at the national border.
I am directly affected by the matters described below, having, in common with many Gambian and non-Gambian travellers, paid airport security fees on multiple occasions, and I write also in the wider public interest.
A. CONTRACTUAL DOCUMENTS
Please provide copies of the following:
1. The original contract entered into between the Government of The Gambia (or anyministry, agency, or authority) and Securiport LLC (or any related entity) for the provision of:
a) aviation security services;
b) immigration-related security services;
c) electronic visa systems; and/or
d) passenger screening or data systems.
2. All schedules, annexes, appendices, and technical specifications attached to the contract.
3. All addenda, amendments, extensions, renewals, or variations to the contract,including any extension reportedly granted for a period of 25 years or more.
4. Any side letters, memoranda of understanding, or supplementary agreements connected to the above arrangements.
B. LEGAL AND REGULATORY BASIS FOR THE SECURITY FEE
Please provide:
5. Copies of all Acts of Parliament, subsidiary legislation, statutory instruments,
regulations, ministerial directives, Cabinet decisions, or presidential approvals authorising:
a) the imposition of an airport security fee on passengers;
b) the amount of the fee (including increases);
c) exemptions from payment;
d) the method of collection; and
e) enforcement measures for non-payment.
6. Any legal instruments or decisions authorising:
a) the requirement that payment be made in cash;
b) the collection of payment at the airport terminal or immigration control;
c) the conditioning of immigration clearance on payment.
C. EXEMPTIONS AND EQUALITY OF APPLICATION
Please provide:
7. All documents identifying categories of passengers exempted from payment of the security fee, including but not limited to:
a) diplomatic passport holders;
b) service passport holders;
c) government officials;
d) members of the National Assembly.
8. Copies of any directives, circulars, internal memoranda, or instructions issued to
airport, immigration, aviation, or security personnel concerning exemptions.
9. Records showing the legal basis for any exemptions not expressly provided for in the contract.
D. REVENUE COLLECTION, MANAGEMENT, AND AUDIT
Please provide:
10. Records showing the total sums collected from airport security fees:
a) annually since inception of the scheme;
b) disaggregated by year and currency where available.
11. Details of the bank accounts into which such fees are paid, including:
a) account names;
b) account holders;
c) currencies;
d) signatories;
e) and whether accounts are jointly managed.
12. Records evidencing the distribution of revenue between Securiport LLC and the Gambia Civil Aviation Authority, including:
a) dates and amounts of transfers;
b) any delays or arrears;
c) explanations for delayed or missing transfers.
13. Copies of audit reports, management letters, internal reviews, or correspondence relating to revenue collection and sharing.
E. NATIONAL AUDIT OFFICE AND OVERSIGHT MATERIAL
Please provide:
14. The full National Audit Office report(s) relating to the Securiport project and airport security fees.
15. All Government responses to NAO findings and recommendations.
16. Records of any follow-up actions, reviews, task forces, or investigations arising from NAO recommendations.
F. PROCUREMENT AND APPROVAL PROCESS
Please provide:
17. All procurement documentation, including:
a) tender notices;
b) bid evaluation reports;
c) procurement approvals;
d) waiver or single-source justifications (if any).
18. Records of approval by the Gambia Public Procurement Authority, where applicable.
19. Cabinet minutes or memoranda relating to approval of the contract and its extensions.
G. INTERNATIONAL AVIATION AND INDUSTRY CORRESPONDENCE
Please provide:
20. Copies of all correspondence between the Government (or its agencies) and:
a) international aviation bodies;
b) airline associations;
c) airlines operating at Banjul International Airport, relating to:
I. the airport security fee;
II. passenger charges;
III. compliance with international aviation standards;
IV. user consultation;
V. financial transparency.
21. Any financial data, spreadsheets, or cost-justification documents prepared or requested in that context.
H. CORPORATE IDENTITY AND LEGAL STATUS OF THE CONTRACTOR
Please provide:
22. Documentation confirming:
a) the legal identity of the contracting entity;
b) its registration status in The Gambia (if any);
c) certificates of incorporation or business registration;
d) tax registration details.
23. Any due-diligence material held by the Government concerning:
a) beneficial ownership;
b) corporate governance;
c) financing structure;
d) data protection and information security.
I. RECEIPTS, PAYMENT SYSTEMS, AND DATA HANDLING
Please provide:
24. Samples or templates of official receipts issued for airport security fees.
25. Explanations of the barcode or electronic identifiers used on receipts, including:
a) what information is encoded;
b) who has access to that data;
c) how it is stored and audited.
26. Policies governing data retention, privacy, and security for passenger information collected through the payment process.
J. FORMAT, TIMEFRAME, AND STATUTORY COMPLIANCE
I request that the above information be provided in electronic format where available.
If any information is withheld, please:
• identify the specific statutory exemption relied upon;
• provide reasons for refusal;
• and disclose any severable or partial information.
This request is made under section 18 of the Access to Information Act, 2021.
Please acknowledge receipt and advise of any applicable fees within the statutory timeframe.
RESERVATION OF RIGHTS
Nothing in this request constitutes a waiver of any legal rights. All rights are expressly reserved.
Yours faithfully,
Ousman F. M’Bai
Barrister and Solicitor of the Supreme Court of The Gambia.
Solicitor-Advocate England and Wales
CC:
• Ministry of Justice / Attorney General’s Chambers. Email: Info@moj.gov.gm
• Gambia Civil Aviation Authority. Email: Info@gcaa.aero
• Gambia Immigration Department. Email: info@gid.gov.gm
• Ministry of Information and Communication. Email: info@moin.gov.gm
