The Central Bank of The Gambia has directed commercial banks operating in the country to replace non-Gambian staff with qualified Gambian nationals. This directive, dated September 16, was signed by Second Deputy Governor Dr. Paul J. Mendy and follows a meeting between the regulator and bank managing directors on August 27. The move aims to ensure that banks operating in The Gambia comply with local employment regulations.
The affected banks include subsidiaries of Nigerian banks such as Access Bank, GTBank, FirstBank, Ecobank, and Zenith Bank. According to the Central Bank of The Gambia, a study found that these banks have a relatively high number of non-Gambians employed beyond those formally recognized as expatriate staff. This practice is said to breach The Gambia's Labour Act 2023 and Guideline 9 on expatriate employment.
Banks have been instructed to adopt a phased approach to replacing affected staff, ensuring arrangements for skills transfer and continuity of operations. They must comply with the directive by December 31, 2026. Employers who fail to comply with the Act's expatriate staffing provisions face a fine of at least 500,000 dalasi on conviction. The Central Bank of The Gambia has not issued a public response to the online reaction.
The directive has sparked debate online about local employment, African labor mobility, and ECOWAS rules. Some have framed it as a straightforward local-content policy, while others question the consistency of the reasoning behind it. Commentator Alpha Bah argued that policies restricting African migrants would be labeled xenophobic if enacted by Western governments.
The Gambia is a member of the Economic Community of West African States (ECOWAS), whose protocol guarantees citizens of member states the right of entry, residence, and establishment across the bloc. This framework is often cited in discussions about labor mobility between member countries. The directive has raised questions about the implications for ECOWAS citizens working in The Gambia.
As of publication, the five banks listed in the circular have not issued a public response. The Central Bank of The Gambia's head office has been at the center of the controversy. The directive has triggered a wider conversation about labor policies and regulations in The Gambia and their implications for foreign workers.
The replacement of non-Gambian staff with qualified Gambians is expected to have significant implications for the banking sector in The Gambia. The Central Bank of The Gambia aims to ensure that local employment regulations are enforced, and the directive is a step towards achieving this goal. The outcome of this directive will be closely watched by stakeholders in the banking sector and beyond.
Key points
- The Central Bank of The Gambia has ordered commercial banks to replace non-Gambian staff with qualified Gambians by December 31, 2026.
- The directive affects subsidiaries of Nigerian banks, including Access Bank, GTBank, FirstBank, Ecobank, and Zenith Bank.
- The move has sparked debate online about local employment, African labor mobility, and ECOWAS rules.
