The Gambian government has dismissed recent claims suggesting that Senegal is illicitly extracting its oil and gas resources, emphasizing that the country is still in the early stages of exploration and has yet to confirm any commercially viable deposits.
In a statement released Tuesday, Gambia’s Ministry of Petroleum, Energy and Mines addressed widespread rumors – including circulated audio recordings – alleging that Senegal is siphoning off Gambian oil. Officials rejected the accusations, labeling them as baseless and misleading.
The Gambian Ministry highlighted that while oil and gas reserves can sometimes cross international borders – as seen in the joint Senegal-Mauritania Grand Tortue Ahmeyim gas project – any form of shared resource development, known as “unitization,” must be based on mutual agreements and supported by substantial discoveries on both sides.
Officials urged the public to remain calm and avoid spreading misinformation, calling for a rational and evidence-based conversation about the nation’s natural resource development.
The statement concluded by reaffirming the government’s commitment to transparency and responsible resource management.
