Born in Georgetown, now Janjanbureh, and raised in Banjul under the guardianship of his uncle, Mr Farimang Singhateh, who later became The Gambia’s first Governor-General following independence, Njie developed an early connection with the country’s capital and its infrastructure.
He attended Albion School and St. Mary’s School before enrolling at Methodist Boys High School in Banjul, where he studied from 1950 to 1955.
Following completion of the University of Cambridge School Certificate in 1955, he joined the Public Works Department in January 1956 as a Technical Trainee in Civil Engineering.
His early career involved working on Banjul’s streets, drainage systems and other infrastructure, experience that would later inform his professional involvement in major development projects.
Between 1962 and 1969, Njie pursued further studies in the United Kingdom. He obtained a Diploma in Civil Engineering from Enfield College of Technology in 1967 and later completed postgraduate studies in Soil Mechanics and Foundation Engineering at Imperial College London, earning the Diploma of the Membership of Imperial College in 1969.
He returned to The Gambia the same year and resumed his engineering career.
Njie subsequently attained several professional qualifications, including Chartered Engineer status and membership and fellowship of major international engineering institutions.
In 1978, he was appointed Director of the Department of Hydrometeorological Services, which later became the Department of Water Resources. He voluntarily retired from government service in 1983 but continued contributing to national development through professional consultancy.
Following the establishment of Gambia Engineering Consultancy Services (GAMECS) in 1984, Njie remained involved in major engineering and infrastructure assignments.
His areas of professional involvement included the Banjul Drainage and Sewerage Project, Banjul Streets Rehabilitation Project, coastal protection, water resources and hydrology, soil investigation and foundation engineering, and urban infrastructure development.
Njie’s contribution to Banjul’s development also includes his longstanding involvement in efforts to address coastal erosion. His engagement with coastal protection dates back to the early 1960s, when he worked on initiatives involving internationally recognised coastal-protection specialists Lewis and Duvivier.
His commitment to Banjul continued decades later when he agreed to contribute to planned street rehabilitation without payment, reportedly saying that he owed Banjul so much.
His professional record has been presented as an example of the contribution of Gambian professionals to national development and the importance of preserving institutional knowledge.
With The Gambia facing continuing challenges involving flooding, coastal erosion, urbanisation and infrastructure development, Njie’s decades of experience provide a historical perspective on some of the country’s longstanding infrastructure challenges.
His career also highlights the role of technical professionals in shaping and maintaining the country’s infrastructure from the post-independence period to the present.
