On October 21, 2026, the Tourism Diversification and Resilience in The Gambia Project (TRDGP) in partnership with IBF Expertise held a graduation ceremony for the third Cohort of tourism-related Micro, Small and Medium Enterprises (MSMEs) under the Yokute Accelerator Programme at the Sir Dawda Kairaba Jawara Conference Centre in Bijilo. The two-pronged event, presided over by the Honourable Minister of Tourism, Arts and Culture Abdoulie Jobe, also witnessed the unveiling of the fourth and final cohort of the Yokute Accelerator Programme comprising nearly 40 businesses. The colourful event followed a rigorous but highly impactful six-month capacity building phase during which the graduating Micro, Small and Medium Enterprises received training, coaching, mentorship as well as investment-readiness preparation from Business Development Managers and Technical Experts from fields including Finance, Information Technology, Marketing and Branding, Tourism, Law,

In his welcome remarks, the Project Director, TDRGP, Momodou Ceesay, noted that the ultimate aim of the Yokute Capacity Building Programme of the TDR Project is to strengthen linkages between key MSMEs suppliers and key buyers (hotels, tour operators, and other large businesses that qualify as lead firms) in the tourism sector, such that the strong linkage will lead to the establishment of contractual agreements between the two parties with a view to expanding business activity in the tourism ecosystem.
Expressing pride over the many impact stories registered by the Yokute Programme, the Project Director said: “We have employed a comprehensive diagnostic tool to understand the tourism MSME ecosystem and thereby collected a lot of business performance data on more than 500 tourism-related MSMEs.
“We have also documented extensive best practices and success stories and tried our best to implement the validated recommendations on the next cohort of MSMEs to ensure that the Yokute programme builds on the experience and result of each round of capacity building to develop an innovative methodology that takes full consideration of the local context and peculiarities of the Gambia Tourism Sector.”
Speaking at the event, World Bank Senior Financial Sector Specialist and Task Team Leader of the Tourism Diversification and Resilience in The Gambia Project, Rafeal Pardo, said tourism creates the greatest benefits for an economy when visitors are connected not only to hotels and major tourism operators, but also to local businesses, producers and service providers. He underscored the importance of making the Yokute programme sustainable:
“As the Accelerator matures, it is worth thinking about how this experience can be built upon and how this type of support can continue to serve the tourism ecosystem beyond the current arrangements. Sustainability should ultimately mean that the support ecosystem does not disappear when a particular project or cohort ends.’’
Mr Pardo expressed the World Bank Group’s commitment to working with partners in The Gambia to strengthen a tourism sector that is competitive, diversified, resilient and, importantly, increasingly connected to local businesses and communities.

Addressing the gathering, the Honourable Minister of Tourism, Arts and Culture Abdoulie Jobe said the Yokute Accelerator Programme which is being implemented under Component 1B of the Tourism Diversification and Resilience in The Gambia Project aligns with the Government’s National Development Plan, YIRIWAA (2023-2027) as it promotes inclusive growth, job creation, entrepreneurship, and economic resilience.
Minister Jobe extended government’s sincere gratitude to the World Bank Group’s International Development Association (IDA) for financing the TDRGP and supporting the diversification of our tourism sector. He also commended the TDRGP Project Implementation Unit and IBF expertise for their commitment to the success of the programme.
“To our graduating entrepreneurs, congratulations. Apply the knowledge and skills acquired, manage your businesses responsibly, and use the matching grants strictly for their intended purposes. Let these investments translate into stronger enterprises, more jobs, and lasting economic benefits. To the fourth and final Cohort, embrace this opportunity with commitment and discipline. Make full use of the training and mentorship provided to build sustainable and competitive businesses.”

For his part IBF Project Manager Washingtone Koech, highlighted that the event marks an important milestone in a journey that began with the first MSME in Cohort one, describing it as a journey of learning, resilience, transformation, and partnership. Since the commencement of the programme, Mr. Washingtone disclosed that over 1,000 MSMEs applied to participate, demonstrating the tremendous appetite among Gambian entrepreneurs for business development opportunities. Out of these, he revealed 529 business benefitted from diagnostics, assessing business operations, identifying challenges and determining opportunities for growth. He provided a breakdown of MSME participation in the Yokute Accelerator Programme:
“Through the four cohorts, we have now reached over 222 MSMEs — 62 under Cohort 1, 64 under Cohort 2, 60 under Cohort 3 and nearly 40 under Cohort 4. This represents 111% achievement against our original target of 200 MSMEs. Importantly, our interventions have extended across The Gambia, covering Banjul, Kanifing, West Coast, North Bank, Lower River, Central River and Upper River regions.”

Delivering the vote of thanks on behalf of MSMEs in Cohort 3, Chan Mendy, who is a fashion designer by profession and co-founder of Ida’s Ideas, thanked TDRGP and its partners for investing in Gambian entrepreneurs, noting that when a business grows stronger, its progress can reach employees, families, suppliers and communities. She called on her peers to follow on their plans, remain open to guidance and hold themselves accountable to the progress they envision for themselves.
The ceremony marking the graduation of Cohort Three of the Yokute Accelerator Programme and the unveiling of Cohort Four was attended by high-profile stakeholders in the Tourism Sector. Among such attendees was Ms. Ida Jeng-Njie, Director General of The Gambia Tourism Board, Mr. Yusupha Keita, Country Representative, International Trade Centre and Champion Implementer of the Andadorr Programme under the European Union funded Youth Empowerment Project on Tourism and Creative Industries.