{
  "id": 8823880,
  "title": "Gambia Central Bank Orders Access, GTBank, FirstBank, Ecobank, Zenith, Others to Phase Out Non-Gambian Staff",
  "url": "https://urgent.news/2026/09/21/gambia-central-bank-orders-access-gtbank-firstbank-ecobank-zenith",
  "topic": "finance",
  "section": "Finance & Markets",
  "published": "2026-09-21T02:12:00.000Z",
  "source": {
    "name": "This Day",
    "slug": "this-day",
    "url": "https://www.thisdaylive.com/2026/09/21/gambia-central-bank-orders-access-gtbank-firstbank-ecobank-zenith-others-to-phase-out-non-gambian-staff/"
  },
  "original_language": "en",
  "account": "The Central Bank of The Gambia has mandated commercial banks, including subsidiaries of Nigerian lenders such as Access Bank, GTBank, FirstBank, Ecobank, and Zenith Bank, to gradually replace non-Gambian employees with qualified Gambian nationals by December 31, 2026. The directive, issued in a September 16 circular signed by Second Deputy Governor Dr. Paul J. Mendy, is based on a study revealing a high number of non-Gambians employed by the banks beyond formally recognized expatriates. This practice violates The Gambia's Labour Act 2023 and Guideline 9 governing the employment of expatriate staff in the banking sector. Banks are required to adopt a phased approach to replace non-Gambian staff while ensuring continuity of operations and transfer of skills and knowledge to Gambian employees. The law mandates that employers grant an expatriate quota for an expatriate position must employ a Gambian counterpart for understudy. Violations of expatriate employment requirements carry penalties of fines ranging from 500,000 dalasis for failing to obtain clearance or renew an existing clearance, and for failing to provide a Gambian understudy for an expatriate employee. The directive is an industry-wide measure requiring banks to align their employment structures with existing labor laws and banking-sector guidelines.",
  "summary": "James Emejo in Abuja and Nume Ekeghe in Lagos The Central Bank of The Gambia (CBG) has directed commercial banks operating in the country, including subsidiaries of Nigerian lenders –",
  "key_points": [],
  "editors_take": null,
  "illustration": null,
  "coverage": {
    "outlets": 1,
    "also_reported_by": []
  },
  "ai_generated": true,
  "disclaimer": "Summaries, key points and the editor’s take are written by software from other outlets’ reporting and may contain errors — always check the linked original."
}