Omanghana
The Central Bank of The Gambia has directed commercial banks to progressively replace non-Gambian employees with qualified Gambian nationals, setting December 31, 2026, as the deadline for completing the transition.
The instruction was contained in a September 16 circular signed by Second Deputy Governor Dr Paul Mendy. It followed an August 27 meeting with bank managing directors and an industry-wide review of foreign employment in the sector.
According to the regulator, the review identified a relatively high number of non-Gambian workers employed beyond positions formally recognised as expatriate roles. It said some of these arrangements breached the Labour Act 2023 and were inconsistent with its Guideline 9 on expatriate staff.
Banks have been instructed to carry out the changes in stages, with arrangements to transfer skills to Gambian employees and maintain uninterrupted banking services. The September circular gives institutions just over three months to complete the process.
The directive applies across the banking industry, including international and regional lenders operating in the country. Institutions identified in reporting on the measure include Access Bank, Guaranty Trust Bank, FirstBank, Ecobank and Zenith Bank. Their inclusion does not, by itself, establish that each institution violated employment rules.
Skills development is a central requirement of the transition. Banks are expected to prepare qualified local employees to assume affected responsibilities while preserving the operational knowledge needed to run their businesses.
The directive also draws attention to existing training obligations under Gambian labor legislation. According to reporting by THISDAY, Section 38(1) of the Labor Act requires an employer granted an expatriate quota to appoint a Gambian counterpart to understudy the expatriate employee.
The timetable presents a staffing challenge for institutions that rely on foreign professionals in specialised roles. A senior bank manager quoted by The Standard said lenders would need to recruit, train and promote Gambians into technical and managerial positions, including information technology, risk management and operations.
The central bank has made continuity of service a condition of the exercise, requiring lenders to meet the year-end deadline while maintaining their day-to-day operations.
Source: Omanghana
