Quite a distance from technological capitals, the Republic of The Gambia provides a complementary perspective that nonetheless is in its own moment of turmoil between the rules of power and development. This context shows how adding airport capacity is valuable for enabling growth and cultural connection in a region of West Africa with limited ground transport. The capital city of Banjul is a critical historical case, as a site of colonization and enslavement, and now a growing industry of diaspora tourism. As a nation colonized by the British empire, surrounded by the former French colony of Senegal, The Gambia is a modernizing nation seeking financial growth and autonomy. This chapter leverages Achille Mbembe's development of decolonial theory for both conceptual inspiration and critical lenses to review findings and meaning for the nation's prospects (Mbembe, 2021).

In The Gambia, the eagerness to accelerate the development of transport infrastructure often leads to a complex dance with foreign direct investment (FDI). External credit comprises 57.6 percent of the country's debt stock, or 48.9 percent of gross domestic product (GPD) (International Monetary Fund African Dept, 2021). Real GDP is forecasted to grow in the 5– 6 percent range over the next few years, but another shock like the COVID pandemic could seriously endanger debt payments. This chapter delves into the particular investment of the Saudi Fund for Development's loan that enabled expansion of Banjul Airport—seizing a key opportunity to expand tourism, while deepening debts to foreign investors.