Claim: Gambian President Adama Barrow stated that Jah Oil Company is only selling cement for D390 per bag, even during periods of acute shortage.
Verdict: Misleading. The claim made by President Adama Barrow that Jah Oil Company is only selling cement at D390 per bag is misleading. Findings revealed that the D390 per bag price exists only at wholesale, and on retail, the price is D415.
Full Text
On March 20, 2026, during an engagement with Banjul Muslim elders at the State House to mark Eid al-Fitr, President Adama Barrow addressed concerns about recurring cement shortages in The Gambia.
Responding to these concerns, the President defended Jah Oil Company’s pricing practices, a key player in the country’s cement market. He stated:
“When there was a cement shortage, and we allowed others to import, the price rose to D600, but Jah Oil only sells cement at D390. Up to this day, they have never changed their price. It’s still at D390.” Watch the claim from 01:06:00 to 01:09:00 in this clip.
The statement was widely circulated by What’s On Gambia, prompting significant public engagement.
The post received over 2,000 reactions, hundreds of comments, and multiple shares, with many users questioning its accuracy and relevance to consumers’ lived experiences.
In light of the public interest, DUBAWA examined the claim.
Verification
DUBAWA reviewed publicly available information, including prior media interviews and official statements from Jah Oil Company.
In a 2025 interview, the company’s General Manager, Momodou Hydara, explained the company’s pricing structure:
“We have not changed our prices despite the cement shortage. We are selling cement for D390 at the factory and D415 at our retail stores.”
To corroborate this, DUBAWA conducted field visits to several Jah Oil retail stores in Manjia, Coastal Road, Kanifing, and Brikama. Observations confirmed that cement is sold at D415 per bag at retail locations accessible to the general public.
Further findings indicate that the D390 price referenced by the President applies exclusively to bulk or wholesale purchases at the factory level, which are typically not accessible to most individual consumers.
Conclusion
The claim by President Adama Barrow that Jah Oil is only selling cement at D390 per bag is misleading. While the company maintains a wholesale price of D390, the prevailing retail price available to consumers is D415 per bag.