The Gambia – one of the two countries that officially have the in its name (together with the Bahamas).
But a few others are often referred to with the, such as the Netherlands, the Philippines, the United Kingdom & the United States.
So, what can you do in the Gambia? Quite a lot.
There are plenty of reserves to explore, including the Abuko Nature Reserve.
Or you can explore the Kunta Kinteh Island.
Perhaps chilling at Senegambia Beach may be something for you.
As you can see, there is no need to be bored in the Gambia.
One thing to note, though, is that international roaming can be expensive.
That is why you are better off using local SIM cards, like a Gambian one, to enjoy local rates.
If you hate spending money, then I have got good news for you.
You can get a Gambian SIM card for free from Africell and QCell – the two leading mobile operators in the country. They are available in their stores and the airport kiosks in Yundum/Banjul International Airport.
And this is not a gimmick. SIM cards are genuinely available at no cost in the Gambia – no minimum top-up required.
The cost of mobile data, however, is on the high-end for African standards. The same on a global level, but it is still average.
In this guide, I will tell you everything you need to know about buying a SIM card in the Gambia. Let's do this.
Original publication: 15th of June. Last updated: 8th of November 2023.
Table of Contents
Can You Buy a SIM Card in the Gambia?
Anyone living or visiting the Gambia can buy a Gambian SIM card without restrictions.
You need a phone that supports the frequencies used in the country (preferably all of them to have the most optimal experience while in the Gambia).
Moreover, you need to have a SIM-lock-free device.
Where Can You Buy a SIM Card in the Gambia?
You can get a Gambian SIM card in Africell and QCell stores. It is also possible to get SIM cards at Yundum/Banjul International Airport.
You can expect to pay the the following for Gambian SIM cards:
- Africell Gambia: Free!
- Qcell Gambia: Free!
Unlike some countries where free SIM cards are not truly free, it is in the Gambia. SIM cards are handed out at no charge with no strings attached.
Do know that before 2019, SIM cards could be retrieved from third-party stores, including grocery stores, kiosks & pharmacies.
This practice has been made illegal because the mobile operators failed to adhere to the government's SIM card registration requirements.
Until further notice (read: never), Gambian SIM cards can only be obtained in Africell and QCell stores.
Can You Use Your Phone in the Gambia?
The Gambia uses GSM technology for mobile communications. CDMA phones will not work in the Gambia. If your phone has a SIM card slot, then it supports GSMA (99% of the phones do support GSM nowadays).
Traditional European frequencies are used in the Gambia, which are mostly used in ITU Regions 1 and 3 (Africa, Asia (including the Middle East), Europe & Oceania).
The Americas (North-, Central– & South America + the Caribbean – ITU Region 2) use American Frequencies, which differ from the European ones.
If you bought your phone in Africa, Asia, Europe, or Oceania (ITU Regions 1 and 3), you should not experience any issues with using your phone in the Gambia.
If you purchased your phone in the Americas (ITU Region 2) and have a low/medium-end device (without Tri-Band or Quad-Band) support, then there is a possibility you cannot use your phone when in the Gambia or can only use slower networks (3G or 2G).
If you have a medium/high-end device with Tri-Band or Quad-Band support, you can use your phone in the Gambia (to some extent) – also on 4G/LTE.
Mobile Operators, Networks & Frequencies in the Gambia
The Gambia has four mobile operators offering prepaid services easily accessible to travelers:
- Africell Gambia
- QCell Gambia
- Comium Mobile
- Gamcel by Gamtel
The following frequencies are used in the Gambia:
- 2G: 900 MHz & 1800 MHZ
- 3G: 2100 MHz
- 4G/LTE: 1800 MHz (Band 3)
You can learn more about frequencies in the video below.
To check whether your phone will work in the Gambia, check out this page by Kimovil or this one by Will My Phone Work (outdated, unfortunately, but extremely user-friendly – useful for phones launched in or before 2019. It does not check for 5G NR compatibility).
Again, make sure your phone is unlocked. Otherwise, you will not be able to use any SIM card except the one from your home operator (meaning you have to roam internationally or buy another unlocked phone that does support the frequencies listed above).
If you want to learn how international roaming works, this guide explains it in-depth. If you wonder why it is often so expensive to roam, this article explains the hidden reason they do not want you to know.
Notes about Comium, Gamcel & Netpage
The Gambia is actually home to four mobile operators, even though I will only be covering two of them (Africell Gambia & QCell Gambia).
That is because both Comium and Gamcel have embarrassing coverage (only in the Banjul area, basically) and even more shameful mobile data speeds.
Below are the coverage maps of Comium and Gamcel produced by Speedtest:
Gamcel is actually government-owned.
Before you go full (neo-)liberal saying this is proof the government always offers lousy service, some state-owned mobile operators worldwide do provide great service.
Sometimes, they are the best in the country (even with multiple private options available).
But that is certainly not the norm in Africa, ha.
So, what about Netpage?
It offers 4G/LTE services for fixed-wireless customers only. Basically for routers and modems – no standalone SIM cards.
While it does offer service through mobile hotspots and Mifi, the additional costs are unnecessary, and Netpage has limited nationwide coverage.
So, that is why only Africell Gambia and QCell Gambia are recommended and will be covered in this guide.
5G NR in the Gambia
5G NR is not available in the Gambia as of 2021, and the Gambian government has not made any indications of when it will auction 5G licenses.
Best SIM Card in the Gambia
If you want to buy the best SIM card in the Gambia, I recommend going with Africell. It has the best coverage and the fastest speeds. However, its network can be overloaded during peak hours, resulting in slow connections.
Best eSIM in Gambia
Unfortunately, none of the mobile operators offer eSIM (to prepaid customers) in Gambia yet.
However, you can get travel eSIMs from Airalo.
Airalo has the Wassu Telecom eSIMs:
You have one option:
- Check out my Airalo eSIM reviews
With these eSIMs, you can skip Gambia's SIM card registration scheme entirely and use it immediately upon arriving in Gambia!
- Find out about the best local eSIMs, local travel eSIMs & regional travel eSIMs for every country (lookup tool)
TIP: Check out my eSIM lookup tool for an overview of local mobile operators offering eSIMs to prepaid customers and travel eSIMs I use and love (for eSIMs in Gambia and eS
SIM Card Registration in the Gambia
SIM card registration with your passport information is mandatory in the Gambia. It will be done at the point of sale.
The Gambia Mobile Internet Prices & Insights
In Africa, the cost of mobile data can be prohibitive, more than 20 USD per 1 GB.
In other African countries, however, the cost is just a few cents.
So, how expensive is mobile data in the Gambia?
On the more expensive side, for regional standards, but still average.
The average price for 1 GB of data in the Gambia is 5.86 USD, around the African average of 5.80 USD. The world average is 4.07 USD.
The country is in the top 10 African countries with the highest average mobile data costs.
But you will see things can be much worse.
Normally, I show you some data about mobile data speeds about the particular country I am covering.
Unfortunately, there is not much aggregate data about mobile download and upload speeds in the Gambia.
But Africell Gambia has reported 4G/LTE download speeds between 40 Mbps and 80 Mbps.
Unless you are from the United Arab Emirates or South Korea, where the average mobile download speeds is more than 200 Mbps, these speeds are quite impressive – especially for regional standards.
But remember – these are the best results possible. Your actual speeds wll be sigificantly slower.
In terms of coverage, reception is only good in populated areas.
I hope you will not be anywhere outside of Bakau, Banjul (capitla city), Brikama, Farafenni, Lamin, Serekunda, or Sukuta because reception outside of these cities, districts, and towns will be basically non-existent.
With literal free SIM cards, higher than average mobile data rates, questionable nationwide coverage, and decent mobile data speeds (when lucky), you should have a fair network experience in the Gambia.
Currency in the Gambia
The Gambia uses the Gambian Dalasi with the symbol GMD (which will be used throughout this article).
However, prices in the Gambia are listed in D. For example, 25 GMD = D 25.
For reference, below are some exchange rates between GMD and USD (US Dollars – Rounded):
- 1 GMD = 0.015 USD
- 10 GMD = 0.15 USD
- 100 GMD = 1.50 USD
- 1000 GMD = 14.85 USD
- 10 000 GMD = 148.65 USD
For up-to-date GMD:USD exchange rates, search GMD to USD on Google, or replace USD with the currency you use.
If your credit/debit card charges you foreign exchange fees, get yourself a Wise Borderless Account and Debit Card.
Their fees are MUCH lower than banks and credit card companies charge you (and Wise is transparent about their fees, unlike banks).
I have saved literal THOUSANDS of Australian Dollars and Euros, my main currencies, when using Wise abroad when traveling compared to my debit and credit cards.
Gambian Prepaid SIM Cards
Below, I will guide you through Africell Gambia and QCell Gambia, and go through:
- Background information
- Mobile coverage
- SIM card types, prices, and availability
- Recharge/top-up information
- Combo plans, data plans, and special packs (such as social media packs)
With that being said, let's see what the Gambia has to offer to us.
Africell Gambia
Africell Gambia, just Africell, is the largest mobile operator in the Gambia.
It is also the fastest mobile operator in the country.
Africell, as a company, is also active in the Democratic Republic of the Congo (Kinshasa), Sierre Leone & Uganda. Soon, also in Angola.
Africell uses the following frequencies:
- 2G: 900 MHz & 1800 MHz
- 3G: 2100 MHz
- 4G/LTE: 1800 MHz (Band 3)
This is what you will learn about Africell:
* Coverage
* How to Get an Africell SIM Card & SIM Card Price
* Topping-Up Options & Methods
* Internet Packages
* APN Settings
Coverage – Africell Gambia
Africell has the best coverage in the Gambia.
However, 4G/LTE can mostly be found in Banjul (capital city – especially in the Serrekunda area).
Below is Africell's coverage map produced by Speedtest:
SIM Card Price – Africell Gambia
You can get an Africell SIM card for free with 10 GMD credit and 15 on-net SMS in Africell stores. It is also possible to get Africell SIM cards at Yundum/Banjul International Airport.
It is also possible to get an Africell eSIM for free if you purchase a data bundle with at least 8 GB of data (minimum price of 970 GMD).
- Find out how much SIM cards cost in every country, including data-only SIM cards and tourist SIM cards, offered by each mobile operator + information about starter benefits (lookup tool)
The same counts for transferring your physical SIM card to an eSIM.
The eSIM only works with the iPhone XR, iPhone XS & iPhone XS Max.
Top-Up, Recharge & Balance Check – Africell Gambia
Africell top-up vouchers are sold in Africell stores, kiosks, gas stations & grocery stores.
The following top-ups are available:
- 25 GMD
- 45 GMD
- 100 GMD
- 250 GMD
For eVouchers, the denominations range from 5 GMD to 5000 GMD.
To top up your Africell SIM card, dial *134*VoucherCode# or call 134 and follow the instructions.
For example, if your voucher code is 123456, you would dial *123*123456#
You can also tell the salesperson how much credit you want, your phone number, pay, and they will top up your SIM card with the POS system.
Dial *134# to check your Africell balance.
You can also top up and check your balance on the Africell app (Android/iOS).
Packages, Plans, Bundles & Offers – Africell Gambia
Africell has three data-featured prepaid plans:
- Buzz Bundles (combo)
- Data Bundles
- 4G/LTE Mega Bundles (large data plans with speed restrictions)
I will list all the prices in GMD (Gambian Dalasi).
To convert GMD to your currency (let's say USD) with up-to-date exchange rates, use the Wise Currency Converter tool.
Click on the links above to jump to the plan you are interested in.
Buzz Bundles – Africell Gambia
The Buzz Bundles are combo plans with data (without 5G NR access) and SMS.
Buzz Bundles can be activated by dialing *777*, selecting option 4, and selecting option 2:
| Price | Data | Local SMS | Validity |
|---|---|---|---|
| 10 GMD | 80 MB | 100 SMS | 7 days |
| 25 GMD | 200 MB | 400 SMS | 7 days |
| 50 GMD | 500 MB | 1000 SMS | 7 days |
| 100 GMD | 1500 MB | 2000 SMS | 7 days |
| 150 GMD | 3000 MB | 3000 SMS | 7 days |
Data Bundles – Africell Gambia
Data Bundles are, as the name implies, are data plans (without 5G NR access).
Data Bundles can be activated by dialing *120# or calling 120:
| Price | Data | Validity |
|---|---|---|
| 8 GMD | 20 MB | 30 days |
| 17 GMD | 40 MB | 30 days |
| 26 GMD | 50 MB | 30 days |
| 29 GMD | 80 MB | 30 days |
| 45 GMD | 100 MB | 30 days |
| 56 GMD | 150 MB | 30 days |
| 90 GMD | 200 MB | 30 days |
| 109 GMD | 300 MB | 30 days |
| 145 GMD | 500 MB | 30 days |
| 179 GMD | 750 MB | 30 days |
| 250 GMD | 1 GB | 45 days |
| 259 GMD | 1.5 GB | 45 days |
| 495 GMD | 2 GB | 45 days |
| 575 GMD | 3 GB | 45 days |
| 750 GMD | 4 GB | 60 days |
| 770 GMD | 5 GB | 60 days |
| 970 GMD | 8 GB | 60 days |
| 1300 GMD | 10 GB | 60 days |
| 1615 GMD | 12 GB | 60 days |
| 1620 GMD | 13 GB | 60 days |
4G/LTE Mega Bundles – Africell Gambia
The 4G/LTE Mega Bundles are large data plans (without 5G NR access) specifically for 4G/LTE.
While these data allowances are at least triple the ones of the Data Bundles, speed restrictions, up to 5 Mbps, apply with 4G/LTE Bundles.
4G/LTE Mega Bundles can be activated by dialing *120#:
| Price | Data | Speed | Validity |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1500 GMD | 50 GB | 0.5 Mbps | 30 days |
| 1850 GMD | 60 GB | 1 Mbps | 30 days |
| 1900 GMD | 100 GB | 2 Mbps | 30 days |
| 2200 GMD | 150 GB | 3 Mbps | 30 days |
| 2700 GMD | 200 GB | 4 Mbps | 30 days |
| 3300 GMD | 250 GB | 5 Mbps | 30 days |
| 4200 GMD | 300 GB | 6 Mbps | 30 days |
| 500 GMD | 350 GB | 10 Mbps | 30 days |
APN/Internet Settings – Africell Gambia
- Name: africell
- APN: africell
Note: leave anything not mentioned above untouched.
Jump back to the Table of Contents.
QCell Gambia
QCell Gambia, just QCell, is the second-largest mobile operator in the Gambia.
It is also one of the two mobile operators I recommend for the Gambia.
Its speeds are slower than Africell's. However, it can be more reliable at times due to Africell's network congestion.
Qcell is also active in Sierra Leone.
QCell uses the following frequencies:
- 2G: 900 MHz
- 3G: 2100 MHz
- 4G/LTE: 1800 MHz (Band 3)
This is what you will learn about QCell:
* Coverage
* How to Get a QCell SIM Card & SIM Card Price
* Topping-Up Options & Methods
* Internet Packages
* APN Settings
Coverage – QCell Gambia
QCell has decent coverage throughout the Gambia.
Most urban areas are covered, and 4G/LTE can mostly be found in Banjul (capital city – especially in the Serrekunda area).
Below is QCell's coverage map produced by Speedtest:
SIM Card Price – QCell Gambia
You can get a QCell SIM card for free in QCell stores. It is also possible to get Africell SIM cards at Yundum/Banjul International Airport.
You may have to dial *335# to enable 4G/LTE.
- Find out how much SIM cards cost in every country, including data-only SIM cards and tourist SIM cards, offered by each mobile operator + information about starter benefits (lookup tool)
Top-Up, Recharge & Balance Check – QCell Gambia
QCell top-up vouchers are sold in QCell stores, kiosks, gas stations & grocery stores.
To top up your QCell SIM card, call 111 and follow the instructions.
You can also tell the salesperson how much credit you want, your phone number, pay, and they will top up your SIM card with the POS system.
Dial *101# to check your Qcell balance.
You can also top up and check your balance on the QCELL app (Android – no iOS app… yet).
Packages, Plans, Bundles & Offers – QCell Gambia
QCell has two data-featured prepaid plans: Snu Data Bundles & Free Night Browsing (data at night).
I will list all the prices in GMD (Gambian Dalasi).
To convert GMD to your currency (let's say USD) with up-to-date exchange rates, use the Wise Currency Converter tool.
Snu Data Bundles – QCell Gambia
The Snu Data Bundles are, as the name implies, are data plans (without 5G NR access).
Snu Data Bundles can be activated by dialing *303# and selecting option 1:
| Price | Data | Validity |
|---|---|---|
| 9 GMD | 20 MB | 30 days |
| 18 GMD | 40 MB | 30 days |
| 31 GMD | 80 MB | 30 days |
| 58 GMD | 150 MB | 30 days |
| 112 GMD | 300 MB | 30 days |
| 182 GMD | 750 MB | 30 days |
| 262 GMD | 1.5 GB | 30 days |
| 580 GMD | 3 GB | 30 days |
| 775 GMD | 5 GB | 30 days |
| 975 GMD | 8 GB | 30 days |
| 1310 GMD | 10 GB | 30 days |
| 1630 GMD | 13 GB | 30 days |
Free Night Browsing – QCell Gambia
The Free Night Browsing is a data (without 5G NR access) feature that gets activated when you recharge at least 500 GMD.
Once you do so, you will get unlimited data browsing between 0:00 and 6:00 for 30 days.
APN/Internet Settings – QCell Gambia
- Name: Qcell Gambia
- APN: qcellnet
Note: leave anything not mentioned above untouched.
Jump back to the Table of Contents.
The Preferred Way to Stay Connected When Traveling in the Gambia
Getting a SIM card from Africell would do you well when considering a Gambian SIM card.
Local Prepaid SIM Card in Other African Countries
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