By Nelson Manneh
For many Gambians, rent is no longer just an expense—it is an uphill battle. In the country’s urban centres, where housing shortages and skyrocketing prices are squeezing low-income earners, finding an affordable place to live has become increasingly difficult.
Soffie Saine, a widow with three children, earns a living by doing laundry for families in different neighbourhoods. But as rent prices surge, she finds herself on the edge of homelessness.
“If people say life is hard, I just keep quiet,” she said. “I know what I go through as a single mother. I live from hand to mouth, moving from one compound to another because I don’t have enough money to pay rent.”
Her story is far from unique. Across the country, rising rental costs and stagnant wages have pushed many families into precarious living situations.
The High Cost of Shelter
In 2015, Lamin Camara, a primary school teacher, paid 1,500 dalasis ($23) a month for a modest apartment in Manjai Kunda. After he got married in 2018, his landlord increased the rent to 2,500 dalasis. Six months later, without warning, it jumped again—to 3,500 dalasis.
“I was shocked,” Camara said. “I was already struggling to keep up, and suddenly I had to find an extra 1,000 dalasis.”
Unable to afford the increament, Camara searched for a more affordable place, but rents had surged across the city. His only option was to move to Tallinding Farokono, a neighbourhood with cheaper housing.
“For civil servants, especially teachers, salaries don’t match the cost of living,” he said. “The government should provide housing for public workers through loans or subsidized programs.”
For Musa Colley, a soldier, the housing crisis has left him in a cycle of financial strain.
“I survive on overdrafts,” he admitted. “For the past three years, I’ve been trying to stop relying on loans, but it’s impossible with rent and other expenses.”
Colley’s income is less than 4,000 dalasis ($61), making it impossible to afford a standard rental unit. He initially shared an apartment with a friend, but when his roommate got married, he was forced to rent a single room for 800 dalasis.
He has long dreamed of bringing his wife and children from their village in Foni to live with him in the city, but high housing costs have kept them apart.
“I once thought about commuting from my village to work, but the distance is just too much,” he said.
Kaddy Saidykhan, a serving member of one of the country’s security apparatus, believes the government must intervene.
“Housing is as important as food and water, yet it is rarely discussed,” she said. “Without a safe and spacious home, life becomes unbearable. The government must build affordable housing, and not just for civil servants, but for the general public.”
A Legislative Lifeline?
The Rent Amendment Act 2024, passed in April, aims to ease the burden on tenants. The law prohibits landlords from demanding rent advances exceeding one month for properties priced below 7,000 dalasis. It also offers stronger protections against evictions and rent hikes.
According to the act, the house rents should be increased every five years, coupled with improved conditions of the house.
The bill, introduced by Hon. Madi Ceesay of Serrekunda West, is meant to prevent tenant exploitation. But for many, the law has come too late—families have already been forced into overcrowded homes or worse, homelessness.
Whether the new regulation will bring lasting relief remains to be seen. For now, Gambians like Saine, Camara, and Colley continue to navigate an unforgiving rental market—where shelter is becoming a privilege, not a right.
