Mr. Lamin Camara

Mr. Lamin Camara is the Permanent Secretary of the Ministry of Trade, Industry, Regional Integration and Employment (MoTIE). A seasoned public-sector executive with over 20 years of experience, he has led Ministries responsible for energy, petroleum, and information and communications technology. His expertise spans policy and regulatory development, infrastructure delivery, corporate governance and international negotiations, and he has chaired several Steering Committees. Before joining MoTIE, Mr. Camara served as Permanent Secretary of the Ministry of Petroleum and Energy (December 2017–December 2022 and July 2024–April 2026). As the Technical Head, he led policy and legislative reform, negotiated with oil companies and development partners, and sat on the Boards of NAWEC and GNPC. He oversaw The Gambia's first Electricity Master Plan (2021–2040), supported the mobilisation of about US$200 million for electricity access and grid modernisation, and served as Principal Representative of The Gambia in the Millennium Challenge Corporation (MCC) programme, helping to launch the Threshold Programme and secure the Compact. He was Permanent Secretary of the Ministry of Information and Communication Infrastructure (April 2014–December 2017) and of the Ministry of Communication and Digital Economy (December 2022–July 2024), leading ICT and telecommunications policy and overseeing GAMTEL, GRTS, GAMPOST and GPPC. On the US$700 million Atlantic Coast to Europe (ACE) submarine cable system, linking 23 countries, he led the Gambian negotiating team, chaired the Regulatory and Communications Sub-Committee and served on the ACE Management Committee. Earlier, he served as Deputy Permanent Secretary (Technical) (2011–2014), Deputy Director of ICT (2009–2011), Principal ICT Officer (2008–2009), Principal Assistant Secretary (2006–2007) and Assistant Secretary (2002–2004), after working as a Manager/Auditor at the Copthorne Hotel, United Kingdom (1999–2002). In the energy sector, Mr. Camara led the Gambia Electricity Restoration and Modernisation Project (GERMP), including the country's first utility-scale solar plant, as well as the GEAP and ECOREAP projects, which are expected to connect about 700 communities to electricity. In the petroleum sector, he negotiated licences with BP and FAR Ltd., generating more than US$45 million in government revenue. His work in digital infrastructure included the ACE cable landing (about US$25 million), WARCIP (US$35 million), the ECOWAN National Backbone and LTE network (US$27 million), the National Broadband Network (US$25 million), the first government data centre and email system, and the first Internet Exchange Point. He also contributed to institutional reform through the establishment and strengthening of the ICT Agency and the Petroleum Commission. Mr. Camara holds an MSc in Communications Management from Coventry University (UK), a BA (Hons) in Business Studies from the University of Glamorgan (UK), and an Advanced Diploma in Business Administration and Management from Kensington College of Business (UK). Mr. Camara also has completed further training in project management, PPPs, corporate governance and petroleum management.