The Public Utilities Regulatory Authority (PURA) has announced that The Gambia will officially migrate from seven-digit to nine-digit telephone numbers on September 4, 2026, in a landmark telecommunications reform designed to accommodate future digital growth and significantly expand the country’s numbering capacity.
The announcement was made Tuesday during a press conference at PURA’s headquarters in Kanifing, where the authority unveiled the implementation roadmap for the nationwide migration.
PURA Director General Dr. Njogou L. Bah described the transition as a strategic national reform that will strengthen the country’s digital infrastructure and prepare The Gambia for the increasing demand for telecommunications services.
He said the existing seven-digit numbering system, which can generate up to 10 million unique numbers, is becoming insufficient as mobile subscriptions, digital services, machine-to-machine communication, and emerging technologies continue to expand.
“This is a foundational reform that will shape how Gambians communicate for decades,” Dr. Bah said. “It is essential to support the country’s digital transformation and future economic growth.”
According to PURA, the new numbering plan was developed following technical consultations with the International Telecommunication Union (ITU) and telecommunications regulators across the ECOWAS region.
The migration will increase The Gambia’s numbering capacity from approximately 10 million to one billion telephone numbers, ensuring the country has adequate capacity to meet future demand.
PURA assured subscribers that the migration will not require them to change their SIM cards, mobile phones, service providers, or existing telephone numbers. Instead, every current seven-digit number will receive an additional two-digit prefix, creating a new nine-digit format.
“Your SIM card remains the same. Your handset remains the same. Your service provider remains the same,” Dr. Bah said. “The only change is that everyone will begin using a nine-digit telephone number.”
The authority said both the existing seven-digit numbers and the new nine-digit numbers will operate simultaneously from September 4 until November 30, 2026, giving consumers nearly three months to update their contacts and systems.
Beginning December 1, 2026, only nine-digit numbers will be recognized. Calls and text messages made using the former seven-digit format will no longer be completed.
Dr. Bah urged businesses, banks, hospitals, schools, government institutions, and Gambians living abroad to begin updating telephone records well ahead of the deadline.
“Contact us early. Do not wait until September,” he advised.
To facilitate the transition, PURA is launching what it describes as the largest public awareness campaign ever undertaken in The Gambia’s telecommunications sector.
The five-month campaign will include television and radio programmes, newspaper publications, social media outreach, community engagement activities, and consumer education initiatives across the country.
Director of Consumer Affairs Jamilatou Saidy said educational materials will be produced in Mandinka, Wolof, Jola, and Sarahule to ensure the campaign reaches communities nationwide.
She added that PURA will also work with social media influencers to broaden public awareness and encourage consumers to prepare early for the migration.
Dr. Bah emphasized that the new National Numbering Plan has already been gazetted and that compliance is mandatory for all licensed telecommunications operators.
He described the reform as a critical investment in The Gambia’s future, saying a modern numbering system is fundamental to economic development, digital innovation, and national connectivity.
“A modern numbering system is a pillar of national development, economic activity, social cohesion, and sovereign identity,” he said.
PURA called on all subscribers to use the transition period to update contact lists, business directories, websites, digital platforms, and other communication records to ensure uninterrupted service when the new nine-digit numbering system becomes fully operational on December 1.
