BY Danjuma Amodu
The Nigerians in Diaspora Commission (NiDCOM) has called on the Central Bank of The Gambia to reverse a directive requiring banks in the country to replace non-Gambian employees with Gambian nationals, warning that the policy threatens the jobs of 57 Nigerian professionals.
The directive, reportedly issued on September 16, 2026, gives banks until December 31, 2026, to replace their existing non-Gambian staff with Gambians.
In a statement issued in Abuja on Tuesday, the Chairman/Chief Executive Officer of NiDCOM, Hon. Abike Dabiri-Erewa, described the development as deeply worrisome, noting that the affected Nigerians possess valid residency and work permits and have made significant contributions to The Gambia’s banking sector.
While acknowledging The Gambia’s right to promote local employment, the Commission insisted that such policies must respect existing employment arrangements, legitimate work authorisations and the principles of African solidarity and regional integration.
NiDCOM said information available to it indicates that 57 Nigerian professionals working in four Nigerian-origin banks operating in The Gambia could be affected.
The Commission also highlighted the economic contributions of the four banks, which collectively account for approximately 37.2 per cent of total banking industry deposits, valued at 35.3 billion Gambian dalasi, and 32.6 per cent of loans, worth 7.67 billion dalasi.
The banks also control 37 per cent of the industry’s total assets, valued at 44.78 billion dalasi, and account for about 34.5 per cent of investments in Central Bank bonds.
More significantly, NiDCOM said the four institutions contributed 90 per cent of the funding supporting the operations of the National Water and Electricity Company (NAWEC), underscoring their importance to the Gambian economy.
The Commission warned that a blanket employment replacement policy could undermine the contributions of African professionals and investors to host economies, particularly at a time when African countries are seeking to deepen economic cooperation and regional integration.
It therefore urged the Central Bank of The Gambia to immediately reconsider and reverse the directive, and to consult with the Nigerian High Commission in Banjul, the affected financial institutions and other relevant stakeholders to achieve an equitable resolution.
NiDCOM also appealed to Gambian authorities to uphold the spirit of the ECOWAS integration framework and the longstanding cordial relationship between Nigeria and The Gambia, calling for constructive diplomatic engagement to resolve the dispute without jeopardising the livelihoods of the affected professionals or the broader economic relationship between both countries.
NiDCOM, Abike Dabiri-Erewa, Gambia, Nigerian bank workers,
