Gambia Central Bank’s planned sack affects 57 Nigerians, NiDCOM kicks

By Nkiruka Nnorom The Nigerians in Diaspora Commission (NIDCOM) has kicked against a directive by the Central Bank of The Gambia ordering banks to sack non-Gambian employees. Chairman/Chief Executive Officer of NIDCOM, Mrs Abike Dabiri-Erewa, described the September 16 directive as deeply worrisome, saying it threatens the jobs of 57 Nigerian professionals.

Dabiri-Erewa, in a statement by NIDCOM spokesman Abdur-Rahman Balogun, said the Central Bank of The Gambia (CBG) had given banks till December 31, 2026, to replace all non-Gambian staff with Gambians. NIDCOM said the affected Nigerians work with four Nigerian-owned banks and hold valid residency and work permits. The Commission noted that the four banks are major players in the Gambian economy, controlling 37.2 per cent of total deposits valued at GMD35.3 billion, 32.6 per cent of loans amounting to GMD7.67 billion and 37 per cent of industry assets worth GMD44.78 billion.

The banks, it added, also account for 34.5 per cent of investments in Central Bank bonds and provided 90 per cent of funding for the National Water and Electricity Company, NAWEC. While acknowledging The Gambia’s right to promote local employment, Dabiri-Erewa said such policy must respect existing contracts, valid work permits and ECOWAS protocols on free movement.

She said, “It is contradictory to encourage African investment and regional cooperation while displacing qualified African professionals.” NIDCOM urged the apex bank to reverse the blanket directive and engage the Nigerian High Commission in Banjul and other stakeholders for an amicable resolution. It also called on Gambian authorities to uphold the spirit of ECOWAS integration and the long-standing cordial relations between Nigeria and The Gambia.