visit was aimed at assessing progress on the project, engaging investors, and addressing challenges surrounding what is being described as The Gambia’s first sustainable hotel.
The minister was accompanied by the Director General of the Gambia Tourism Board (GTBoard), Ida Jeng Njie, along with senior officials from MOTAC and the GTBoard. Sama Hotel is being developed by Arezki Construction Company and is expected to be a five-star, eco-friendly hospitality facility.
Speaking to journalists during the visit, Minister Jobe said the inspection aligns with the government’s commitment to delivering key development projects. He noted that the investors had followed due process and commenced construction promptly after securing the necessary approvals.
“This is the first sustainable five-star hotel in The Gambia, and it is a huge investment,” the minister said. “Our purpose here is to interact with the investors, understand the challenges they may be facing, and work together to find solutions. As a government, our role is to facilitate these investments and ensure they are completed and operationalised on time.”
He reaffirmed the government’s commitment to supporting private sector partners and revealed that such engagements would be made more regular to ensure smooth implementation of major tourism projects. Minister Jobe also highlighted the potential of the hotel to partner with international brands, which would further enhance The Gambia’s profile as a competitive tourism destination.
On behalf of Arezki Construction Company, proprietor of Sama Hotel, Ali Arezki, outlined the features of the project. He explained that Sama Hotel is a 10-floor luxury business hotel equipped with high-end facilities including a spa, gym, swimming pools, restaurants, standard rooms, luxury suites, and presidential suites. The project also includes eight exclusive villas for VIP guests.
Arezki emphasized that the hotel is fully green and eco-friendly, designed to operate primarily on renewable energy. “The hotel will rely on solar power to meet 100 percent of its energy needs during the day and 50 percent at night, supported by the national grid and generators,” he said, describing it as the first of its kind in The Gambia.
He added that the project would create employment for over 100 people and serve as a landmark development that could attract further investment into the country. “We consider ourselves Gambians, and this is our way of giving back to a country that has given us so much,” he said.
Director General of the Gambia Tourism Board, Ida Jeng Njie, expressed appreciation to the investors and the Minister for initiating the visit. She noted that the Sama Hotel would significantly add value to The Gambia’s tourism inventory and help reposition the country on the global tourism map.
“This type of product will help us attract high-spending tourists, which is critical for increasing tourism revenue and benefiting the wider economy,” she said. Madam Jen-Njie also encouraged investors to consider expanding similar high-end developments beyond the Greater Banjul Area to other regions of the country in support of tourism diversification.
The Sama Hotel project is expected to transform the aesthetics of the Bijilo area and contribute meaningfully to the modernization and sustainability of The Gambia’s hospitality sector.
