Fatoumatta Bah-Barrow
Fatoumatta Bah-Barrow
Fatoumatta Bah-Barrow (also spelled Fatoumata) is the First Lady of the Republic of The Gambia and the first wife of President Adama Barrow. She assumed this role in January 2017 following her husband’s election victory, becoming a prominent public figure in national and international humanitarian circles. A member of the Fula ethnic group, she is best known for her charitable work through the Fatoumatta Bah-Barrow Foundation (FaBB), which focuses on women’s health, poverty alleviation, and child welfare. Despite having no formal governmental office, she remains one of the most visible and influential women in Gambian public life.
Family Background and Early Life
Fatoumatta Bah-Barrow was born into a respected Fula family in The Gambia. Her father, Abdoulie Bah, was a successful businessman, and her mother, Isatou Jallow, played a significant role in her upbringing. She spent her formative years in the town of Basse, where she was raised alongside two siblings. As a child, she attended St. George’s School, where she received a basic education grounded in discipline and community values.
Following her early schooling, she relocated to Banjul, the capital city of The Gambia, in search of further opportunities. It was in Banjul that she met Adama Barrow, a rising entrepreneur in the real estate business. The two were married on 20 March 1997, when Fatoumatta was 22 years old. Their union was soon blessed with two children: a son, Mamadou Barrow, and a daughter, Taibou Barrow.
Career and Professional Life
Prior to her tenure as First Lady, Fatoumatta Bah-Barrow led a professional life marked by modest yet meaningful engagements in the private sector. From 2000 to 2001, she was employed in the sales and marketing division of Elton Oil Company. Her drive and work ethic led her to join Africell Gambia Ltd, one of the country’s leading telecom providers, where she worked until 2008.
After leaving Africell, she became increasingly involved in her family’s business ventures. Her business acumen and behind-the-scenes support also extended to her husband’s growing real estate company. During the 2016 Gambian presidential election, she took an active role in his campaign by organizing community meetings, conducting door-to-door outreach, and promoting his message of democratic change and good governance.
Role as First Lady
Fatoumatta Bah-Barrow officially assumed the position of First Lady in January 2017, following the electoral victory of her husband, Adama Barrow. In accordance with cultural and political norms in The Gambia, it was declared that only the president’s first wife would assume the public responsibilities associated with the First Lady role, despite Adama Barrow being married to a second wife, Sarjo Mballow-Barrow.
In her capacity as First Lady, she has represented The Gambia at both domestic and international forums. Her work emphasizes healthcare, women’s empowerment, youth welfare, and poverty alleviation. She is known for her calm public demeanor and her ability to connect with diverse populations, especially women and rural communities.
The FaBB Foundation
On 1 May 2017, Fatoumatta Bah-Barrow founded the Fatoumatta Bah-Barrow Foundation (FaBB) with the mission of supporting marginalized and vulnerable populations in The Gambia. The foundation focuses on key areas such as maternal and child health, poverty reduction, education access, and support for women and youth.
One of the foundation’s most high-profile initiatives emerged in February 2018 when it partnered with the global pharmaceutical and life sciences company Merck KGaA. This collaboration aimed to raise awareness about infertility in women and to improve access to fertility treatment options in the country, a topic that remains taboo in many parts of Africa. The partnership placed The Gambia on the global health map and marked a major success for the young foundation.
FaBB also works in coordination with international NGOs, development partners, and local community leaders to promote social justice and economic inclusivity throughout The Gambia’s diverse regions.
33-Million Dalasi Controversy
In August 2018, the FaBB Foundation became the subject of national scrutiny following media reports that a significant financial transaction had taken place under its name. According to investigative reports, on 18 December 2017, an amount totaling $752,000 USD (equivalent to 33 million Gambian dalasi) was transferred from an account in Hong Kong to the FaBB Foundation’s bank account.
Of this sum, $746,000 was reportedly paid to White Airways, a Portuguese charter airline, to arrange a flight to China for President Barrow and his delegation. The timing of the transaction raised eyebrows, as it coincided with an official trip to China on 19 December 2017. Allegations swirled around the Chinese electrical engineering company TBEA, which was in the final stages of negotiating a lucrative contract with The Gambia’s state-owned utility company, NAWEC, for the construction of electricity transmission infrastructure.
In response, the board of the FaBB Foundation announced an internal investigation. The foundation maintained that the funds had been used in good faith and in the interest of facilitating a timely diplomatic trip. They argued that, had the funds been transferred to a Central Bank government account instead, they would have encountered a three-day waiting period, during which time the presidential delegation would already be en route.
In September 2019, the foundation issued a public statement urging the Gambian government to release full details of the transaction in order to clear the First Lady’s name. According to an article in The Standard newspaper, the funds were indeed intended to support the official state visit, and the choice to use the foundation’s account was a matter of administrative expedience rather than malfeasance.
Public Image and Legacy
Fatoumatta Bah-Barrow is widely respected within The Gambia for her commitment to family values, philanthropy, and national unity. Her work with the FaBB Foundation has given her an enduring platform from which to influence policy conversations related to women’s health and social development. Though her image was temporarily shadowed by the controversy involving the foundation’s finances, her continued advocacy efforts and personal integrity have helped restore public confidence in her leadership.
She remains one of the few First Ladies in West Africa to establish a foundation that operates with a distinct and high-profile identity separate from government ministries. Her work continues to shape how women in African political spaces can lead charitable initiatives, participate in governance, and build lasting social institutions.
- 5 August 1974
- The Gambia
- President Adama Barrow
- 19 January 2017 – Present
