Africa-Press – Gambia. The Ministry of Transport, Works and Infrastructure (MoTWI), in collaboration with ECOWAS transport infrastructure experts, has commenced the evaluation of proposals submitted in response to the request for proposals for the planned Barra–Banjul bridge project.
The feasibility study for the proposed bridge represents a key preparatory stage and will be conducted in line with internationally recognised best practices to ensure that technical design, financial structuring, environmental sustainability, and institutional arrangements are fully integrated.
Deputy Permanent Secretary Ebrima Colley said the project aims to facilitate smoother land transport between the northern and southern parts of The Gambia and with neighbouring Senegal, while strengthening connectivity among ECOWAS member states.
He noted the government’s intention to maintain the Trans-African Highway 7 (TAH7) alignment within The Gambia, linking Karang–Karang–Barra–Banjul–Séléti, including the construction of an approximately 5.8-kilometre bridge across the River Gambia between Barra and Banjul.
ECOWAS infrastructure expert and mission team leader Ashoke Maliki said the evaluation process is designed to ensure active participation by The Gambia as project owner, contributing to the success of both the national initiative and the broader ECOWAS regional programme.
He added that the project is expected to reduce travel time, promote economic development, support poverty reduction, and enhance socio-economic opportunities for communities in the sub-region, while boosting regional trade.
The Praia–Dakar–Abidjan corridor forms part of the wider Dakar–Lagos coastal corridor, a strategic regional route running from Dakar in Senegal to Lagos in Nigeria and passing through several West African countries, including The Gambia, Guinea-Bissau, Guinea, Sierra Leone, Liberia, Côte d’Ivoire, Ghana, Togo, and Benin.
The corridor is designated as Trans-African Highway 7 (TAH7) and is recognised as a priority continental transport route under the Programme for Infrastructure Development in Africa (PIDA) Priority Action Plan.
