Artificial Intelligence law at Gambia
As of May 2025, The Gambia does not have a dedicated national law specifically regulating artificial intelligence (AI). However, the country is actively developing a legal and institutional framework to address AI-related issues, primarily through data protection laws and regional commitments.
🇬🇲 Data Protection and AI Governance
In December 2022, The Gambia signed the African Union Convention on Cyber Security and Personal Data Protection, commonly known as the Malabo Convention. This convention aims to enhance cybersecurity and protect personal data across African Union member states. The Gambia's commitment to this convention underscores its dedication to establishing a robust digital governance framework, which is crucial for addressing AI-related challenges. (gicta.gov.gm, Government of The Gambia)
Domestically, The Gambia has developed a Data Protection & Privacy Policy and Strategy (2019), which lays the groundwork for a national data protection law. The policy outlines objectives such as safeguarding personal data, establishing institutional frameworks, and ensuring compliance with international standards. While this policy does not specifically address AI, it provides a foundation for regulating AI technologies that process personal data. (policies.gov.gm)
The Gambia is also working on finalizing a draft data protection bill, which is expected to be presented to the National Assembly. This bill aims to strengthen data protection laws and establish a supervisory authority to oversee compliance. The development of this bill is supported by the Council of Europe, which has provided expertise on setting up supervisory authorities and aligning with international standards. (Portal)
🌍 Regional and International Engagement
The Gambia's participation in the Malabo Convention aligns with the African Union's Continental AI Strategy, adopted in July 2024. This strategy emphasizes the importance of data protection and governance laws in regulating AI. It advocates for the establishment of AI governance systems at regional and national levels, encouraging cross-border data sharing among AU member states to support AI development. (Future of Privacy Forum)
🎓 Capacity Building and AI Education
Recognizing the importance of AI education, The Gambia has partnered with the Commonwealth Secretariat to enhance AI skills among educators. In August 2024, a 'Train the Trainers' workshop was held at the University of The Gambia, focusing on Python programming and AI. This initiative aims to build AI research capacity and prepare the youth for future workforce opportunities in AI and related technologies. (Commonwealth)
🧭 Path Forward
While The Gambia does not yet have a comprehensive AI law, its efforts in developing data protection legislation, participating in regional agreements, and investing in AI education indicate a proactive approach to AI governance. The forthcoming data protection bill and the establishment of a supervisory authority will be pivotal in regulating AI technologies and ensuring they align with national and international standards.
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