Fifty-seven Nigerian banking professionals working in The Gambia could lose their jobs following a directive by the country’s central bank requiring commercial banks to replace non-Gambian employees with qualified Gambian nationals before the end of 2026.
The Nigerians in Diaspora Commission (NiDCOM) has raised concerns over the directive, warning that its implementation could affect Nigerian workers who reportedly hold valid residence and work permits and have contributed to the West African country’s banking industry.
NiDCOM Chairman, Abike Dabiri-Erewa, described the development as “deeply worrisome” in a statement shared on her X account on Tuesday, November 3, and called on the Central Bank of The Gambia to reconsider the policy and engage Nigerian authorities and the affected financial institutions.
The dispute follows a September 16, 2026, circular issued by the Central Bank of The Gambia and addressed to managing directors of all banks operating in the country. Signed by the regulator’s Second Deputy Governor, Dr Paul J. Mendy, the directive requires lenders to adopt a phased approach to replacing existing non-Gambian employees with suitably qualified Gambian nationals.
The transition, according to the circular, must be completed by December 31, 2026, with banks required to make appropriate arrangements for skills transfer and continuity of operations.
The Gambian regulator said an industry study had revealed that a relatively high number of non-Gambians were employed in banks in addition to recognised expatriate staff. It described the practice as a violation of the country’s Labour Act 2023 and inconsistent with Guideline 9 on expatriate staff.
“Consequently, all banks are required to adopt a phased approach to replacing existing non-Gambian staff with suitably qualified Gambian nationals, with appropriate arrangements for skills transfer and continuity of operations,” the circular stated.
The directive followed a meeting between the Central Bank and bank managing directors on August 27, 2026. It applies across the banking industry rather than targeting Nigerian employees or any particular financial institution.
NiDCOM raises concerns over Nigerian professionals
Reacting to the development, Dabiri-Erewa said information available to NiDCOM indicated that 57 Nigerians employed by four Nigerian-origin banks in The Gambia could be affected.
She said the professionals reportedly possessed valid residency and work permits, arguing that any effort to increase local participation in the banking sector should take existing employment arrangements and legitimate work authorisations into consideration.
“While NiDCOM recognises Gambia’s right to promote local employment and develop its workforce, such policies must be implemented fairly and in a manner that respects existing employment arrangements, legitimate work authorisations and the principles of African solidarity and regional integration,” she said.
The NiDCOM chairman also questioned the potential economic consequences of a directive that could displace experienced professionals working in a sector where Nigerian financial institutions have established a substantial presence.
According to figures cited by the commission, the four banks collectively account for approximately 37.2 per cent of total banking industry deposits, valued at 35.3 billion Gambian dalasis, and 32.6 per cent of loans, worth 7.67 billion dalasis.
They also account for about 37 per cent of the industry’s assets, valued at 44.78 billion dalasis, and 34.5 per cent of investments in Central Bank bonds.
NiDCOM further said the banks reportedly contributed 90 per cent of the funding supporting the operations of the National Water and Electricity Company (NAWEC).
The commission argued that the figures demonstrated the importance of the institutions to The Gambia’s financial system and wider economy, although it did not provide a breakdown of the individual contributions of the four banks.
Access Bank, FirstBank, GTBank and Zenith among affected institutions
The Nigerian-origin financial institutions operating in The Gambia include Access Bank, FirstBank, Guaranty Trust Bank and Zenith Bank.
Their presence reflects the expansion of Nigerian financial institutions into other African markets, where they provide banking services, finance businesses and participate in national financial systems.
The Central Bank’s directive, however, raises questions about the future deployment of Nigerian professionals and other foreign workers in the Gambian banking industry.
While the regulator has called for qualified Gambians to take over affected positions, it also requires banks to ensure skills transfer and prevent disruptions to banking operations. The circular does not specifically name the 57 Nigerian professionals identified by NiDCOM or establish that all of them fall outside approved expatriate arrangements.
That distinction is significant because the Central Bank’s stated concern relates to foreign employees working beyond recognised expatriate staffing arrangements, while NiDCOM says the Nigerian professionals potentially affected reportedly hold valid work and residence permits.
NiDCOM calls for diplomatic intervention
Dabiri-Erewa urged the Central Bank of The Gambia to reverse what she described as a blanket replacement directive and open discussions with the Nigerian High Commission in Banjul, affected banks and other relevant stakeholders.
She warned that measures capable of displacing qualified African professionals could undermine regional cooperation and the principles of free movement within West Africa.
“It is contradictory to encourage African investment, regional economic cooperation and the free movement of people while adopting employment measures that could lead to the indiscriminate displacement of qualified African professionals,” she said.
NiDCOM also appealed to Gambian authorities to uphold the spirit of Economic Community of West African States (ECOWAS) integration and the longstanding cordial relationship between Nigeria and The Gambia.
The commission called for constructive diplomatic engagement to secure what it described as an equitable resolution.
With the December 31 deadline approaching, the dispute places Nigerian financial institutions in The Gambia under pressure to review their staffing arrangements while protecting their operations and addressing the concerns raised by the Nigerian government.
The outcome could have implications beyond the 57 professionals identified by NiDCOM, particularly for the movement of skilled workers and the role of Nigerian businesses in regional economic integration.
