1. Strategic Exploration Agreements: Fair Terms for National Interest

NBP will ensure that any oil exploration and drilling activities are based on transparent, fair, and mutually beneficial contracts with internationally recognized oil companies. Our guiding principle will be “win-win partnerships,” where national sovereignty is preserved and the Gambian people are the primary beneficiaries.

To achieve this, the NBP will:

• Develop a National Oil & Energy Framework to guide all exploration, licensing, and revenue-sharing agreements;
• Engage independent legal and technical consultants to review contracts and advise on risk mitigation;
• Prioritize companies with proven records in ethical energy development and environmental compliance;
• Ensure that a maximum percentage of all profits from oil activities directly support national development projects and not be siphoned into off-budget or opaque spending.

2. Establish a National Oil and Gas Regulatory Authority

To properly manage the exploration and future extraction process, the NBP will establish an independent National Oil and Gas Regulatory Authority (NOGRA) tasked with:

• Supervision of  the licensing of oil blocks and ensuring compliance with national laws;
• Monitor environmental safety, drilling practices and corporate social responsibility;
• Publishing annual transparency reports outlining revenues, contracts, and social investments;
• Partner with international watchdogs and local civil society groups to ensure full accountability.

This authority will work hand-in-hand with the Ministry of Petroleum and the Ministry of Finance to create a checks-and-balances system that prevents corruption and mismanagement.

3. Establishment of a Sovereign Oil Fund

Revenue from oil will not be wasted. The NBP will legislate the creation of a Gambian Sovereign Oil Fund, modeled after successful funds in Norway and Botswana. This fund will be managed by an independent board and used to:

• Invest in critical infrastructure (roads, hospitals, schools);
• Stabilize the economy during downturns;
• Create intergenerational savings for future Gambians;
• Fund priority programs in education, health, housing, and innovation.

We believe that short-term gain must never override long-term prosperity. The oil fund will be the engine of a sustainable and inclusive development agenda.

4. Local Workforce and Skills Development

NBP will ensure that Gambians do not just watch from the sidelines as foreign companies profit from their soil. We will:

• Mandate local hiring quotas for all licensed oil exploration companies;
• Fund technical and vocational programs in petroleum engineering, geology, safety management, and logistics;
• Create partnerships with global oil institutions to train Gambians for leadership roles in energy;
• Launch a Petroleum Studies Department at the University of The Gambia.
  

Our aim is to create a generation of skilled Gambians who drive and manage the energy sector and not merely support it.

5. Environmental and Social Responsibility

Oil development must never come at the cost of our natural heritage. The NBP will impose strict environmental protections, including:

• Environmental impact assessments before any drilling activity;
• Real-time environmental monitoring of air, land, and water quality;
• Penalties for pollution or ecological harm;
• Requirement of corporate social investment in host communities for health, education, and infrastructure.
  

The NBP government  will work with international environmental agencies to ensure The Gambia sets the gold standard for sustainable oil exploration in West Africa.

6. National Benefits: From Oil to Opportunity

If exploration is successful and oil production begins, NBP guarantees that the benefits will be broadly shared across the nation. Key areas of reinvestment will include:

• Upgrading public infrastructure, including roads, power supply, ports, and schools;
• Universal healthcare access and investment in trauma hospitals and mobile clinics;
• Public housing initiatives to modernize villages and towns;
• Youth innovation hubs and scholarships for science and technology education;
• Expansion of state-supported agriculture, fisheries, and local industries, to ensure the economy is not solely dependent on oil.