The Gambia will switch from its current seven-digit telephone numbering system to a new nine-digit format from 4 September 2026, in a move aimed at expanding the country’s numbering capacity and supporting its digital transformation agenda.

The announcement was made by the Public Utilities Regulatory Authority (PURA) during a press conference on the National Numbering Plan Migration 2026.

PURA Director General Dr. Njogou L. Bah described the migration as a landmark reform that will affect all mobile phone users, businesses, government institutions and Gambians living abroad.

“This migration is a landmark reform that will expand our numbering capacity and support The Gambia’s digital transformation agenda,” he said.

He said all existing seven-digit telephone numbers will remain unchanged but will receive a two-digit prefix at the beginning. Subscribers will retain their SIM cards, mobile handsets, network providers, airtime balances and registered identities.

To ensure a smooth transition, both the old seven-digit and new nine-digit numbers will operate simultaneously from 4 September to 30 November 2026.

After the transition period ends, calls and text messages made using the old seven-digit format will no longer connect.

Dr. Bah said the switch has become necessary because the country’s existing numbering system is approaching its capacity limit.

He explained that while a seven-digit numbering plan can accommodate up to 10 million unique numbers, the new nine-digit system will increase national capacity to one billion numbers, providing room for future population growth and emerging digital technologies.

PURA said it consulted the International Telecommunication Union (ITU) and telecommunications regulators across the ECOWAS region before adopting the new numbering plan.

Similar systems have already been implemented in Ghana, Senegal, Nigeria and Côte d’Ivoire.

The authority has launched a five-month nationwide public awareness campaign and urged businesses, institutions and the media to begin preparing for the transition.

Project consultant Nicolas Jatta said numbering capacity increases exponentially with each additional digit, making longer numbering formats essential as demand for telecommunications services continues to grow.

He added that the switch is being implemented under the Public Utilities Regulatory Authority Act and that interoperability testing among all mobile network operators is progressing on schedule ahead of the September rollout.

By Adama Makasuba