15/08/2025
PRESS RELEASE
Banjul, The Gambia 15th August 2025
Update on Independence Stadium Pitch Upgrade and supply of equipment
The National Sports Council (NSC) wishes to provide clarifications regarding the planned upgrading of the Stadium’s hybrid pitch, following recent public discussions around the project.
The NSC acknowledges an ongoing process to hire a foreign company through a subcontractor arrangement that meets requirements of our procurement laws to assist in upgrading and maintain the pitch. NSC however emphasizes that the hybrid pitch installed at the beginning of the stadium remodelling remains in place and has never been removed, nor is the foreign company going to re-install a new pitch, as has been speculated. Their mandate focuses on:
1. Supplying specialized maintenance equipment which are not available in the country.
2. Rehabilitating the existing pitch, treating fungal infections, and correcting uneven surfaces (conditions that were as a result of lack of proper equipment and skilled personnel to carry our required routine functions as would be of a hybrid pitch).
3. Training local staff on proper pitch upkeep techniques, including operation of the new machinery.
The contractor, upon completing the above primary assignment, will remain in The Gambia for two months to ensure full knowledge transfer and capacity building among local staff.
"The NSC acknowledges past challenges in pitch maintenance and the Ministry has introduced robust measures to prevent similar issues in the future,” said NSC Communications and PR Manager, Sara Camara. “By prioritizing equipment procurement and staff training, we aim to ensure sustainable, long-term care of the pitch without reliance on external expertise.”
