How to keep proof of airport fee payment at Banjul

How the fee is paid

The Airport Security Fee is US$20. It can be paid in US dollars, euros, British pounds or dalasi. Visa credit cards are accepted, but card machines are often out of service ¹.

Payment is made at marked kiosks in Banjul International Airport ¹. The National Audit Office (NAO) reported that Securiport staff collect the fee in cash at the terminal. The NAO said airlines had not added the fee to tickets ².

In March 2023 a Securiport consultant told Dubawa that a government circular about the fee is posted at the booths ⁴.

What the official record says about receipt controls

The NAO management letter records these points. Gambiana later reported the same receipt findings ^3,8:

• Bank statements for the dollar and pound accounts showed deposits of US$3,235 and £6,780 with no matching receipts for fees collected in the same period ⁸.
• The auditors said the manual receipts for those transactions were not presented ⁸.
• The report records separate requests for cash collection bank statements and other transaction evidence ⁸.
• The NAO asked Securiport to provide the receipts and an explanation for deposits made to operational accounts ⁸.
• Securiport replied that deposit slips were available and described deposits into the wrong accounts as human errors ⁸. The auditors kept the point open since the response did not include the missing receipt evidence.

Where the money should go

Under the contract, collections go into a joint account held by the GCAA and Securiport. The balance is shared each month, 75 percent, or US$15, to Securiport and 25 percent, or US$5, to the GCAA ^5,8.

The NAO found that the GCAA received no share from September 2020 to April 2021. The first payment of D16,452,987.3 arrived on 20 May 2021. Securiport said the accrued share was transferred when the joint account became active. GCAA said the earlier government share had been paid and joint accounts were operating by June 2022 ⁸.

Official responses

The management letter records Securiport's response that deposit slips were available and would be supplied. It described deposits into wrong accounts as human errors ⁸. The auditors said the response did not answer the receipt finding, so the issue remained open when the report was completed ⁸.

On a related currency-deposit point, GCAA said CFA cash had been converted and banked. Auditors said they had a stamped deposit slip but no evidence for the conversion deposit ⁸.

A presidential adviser later said the public discussion had left out management responses. The official management letter now linked here contains those responses beside the findings ^6,8.

Practical points for passengers

This site found no official notice that sets out what a security fee receipt must contain. Passengers can ask for a receipt at the kiosk and keep it with their travel papers.

If paying by card, keep the card slip. The UK government warns that card machines are often out of service, so carry the exact amount in cash as a backup ¹.

The GCAA departure charges, which are a €20 development fee, a £10 service charge and a £1.50 security charge, do not appear with any collection or receipt method on the GCAA schedule ⁷.