Modernizing municipal services in The Gambia

The Challenge

The Kanifing Municipal Council historically operated through an outdated, paper-based system that proved incapable of managing the demands of a rapidly expanding urban environment. This lack of a digital spatial framework resulted in inconsistent waste collection and inefficient property tax assessment, as municipal workers lacked the precise mapping needed to track service delivery. Such logistical gaps fostered a lack of transparency and a steady decline in public trust, with officials unable to ensure that every household was being served or billed fairly, preventing the city from achieving the fiscal stability and operational reliability required for sustainable growth.

The Solution & Implementation

Partnership: Kanifing Municipal Council (KMC)

The Process:

• Strategic Piloting: KMC launched a two-year project with a D30 million budget to pilot digital addressing across key sectors of municipal management.

• Logistics Modernization: Waste management teams began using Plus Codes to map collection points, ensuring that no neighborhood was overlooked.

• Tax & Governance: Property tax collection was shifted to a digital framework, using Plus Codes to ensure every property was accurately recorded in the municipal ledger.

The Impact

• Improved Service Delivery: Waste management has become significantly more efficient, with clear digital routes improving transparency and frequency of collection.

• Fiscal Transparency: Modernizing property tax collection has helped stabilize municipal revenue while ensuring that tax burdens are distributed fairly based on accurate mapping.

• Public Trust: The project has improved the relationship between the council and its citizens by providing a modern, reliable, and visible system of city management.

Resources