During his visit, President Barrow expressed satisfaction with the progress made by the Ministry of Agriculture and the NFSPMC board. He pointed that while agriculture has been a significant part of Gambia’s economy since colonial times, groundnuts have historically been the country’s main cash crop. However, he noted that the full potential of groundnuts has not been fully realised until now, stating that it is time for the country to begin processing groundnuts for higher value-added products.
“The narrative must change in the 21st century. We need to process groundnuts into crude oil and groundnut cake to maximize the value of this crop,” Barrow challenged, while highlighting his government plans to move beyond groundnut oil production and work toward refining it locally.
The President also talked about the high cost of importing edible oil, which he said drains foreign exchange, contributing to inflation due to the demand and supply imbalances in the currency market.
“We are spending a lot of foreign currency on importing oil. With this project, we plan to export, earn foreign currency, create jobs, and ensure food security. Gambians consume oil daily, yet we do not produce it locally. We have the capacity to change that,” he expressed.
President Barrow also expressed optimism for the future, stating that the project would mark a historic achievement for the country. “According to the contract, I will return in December 2025 to inaugurate this plant, which will be a major milestone for the government and the nation,” he said.
Islam Haj, the PACE resident engineer overseeing the project, outlined the facility’s capabilities, stating that the plant can process 350 tons of groundnuts per day and produce 134 cubic meters of crude groundnut oil daily. Additionally, the facility will feature a power plant capable of generating up to 4 megawatts of electricity.
Muhammed Njie, the managing director of NFSPMC, expressed gratitude to the president for his visit, highlighting that it demonstrated the government’s commitment to agriculture.
“Farmers are the backbone of our development, and with this processing plant, we aim to generate foreign exchange through exports, which will benefit other sectors as well. We are processing groundnuts into oil and groundnut cake, and the 4-megawatt power plant will also help in producing electricity,” Njie noted.
President Barrow finally laid the foundation stone for the construction of a new NFSPMC complex and passed by at the GACH Global basalt facility.
