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Doing business
Doing business in The Gambia
The official bodies a foreign company, investor or professional deals with in The Gambia – linked to their own websites – plus the treaties that matter for contracts and disputes, and law firms there that list business work.
Key facts
Key facts for business in The Gambia
The short answer
Company registry in The Gambia: Companies Department (Registrar of Companies), Ministry of Justice. Tax authority: Gambia Revenue Authority (GRA). Requirements, fees and timelines change – confirm them with the body concerned and a lawyer admitted in The Gambia before you act.
| Legal system | Mixed (English common law, Islamic (Sharia) law and customary law) |
|---|---|
| Official languages | English |
| Currency | Gambian dalasi (GMD) |
| Regional blocs | ECOWAS |
| OHADA business law | No |
| AfCFTA (continental free trade) | Ratified (instrument deposited) |
| New York Convention (arbitral awards) | Not a party (checked October 2026) |
| ICSID Convention (investment disputes) | Contracting state – in force since 1975 |
| Apostille Convention (public documents) | Not a party – documents usually need legalization |
Treaty status from the official depositary records (UNCITRAL, ICSID, HCCH), regional blocs from their own websites, AfCFTA from tralac – checked October 2026. Not legal advice.
Official bodies
Who does what in The Gambia
| What for | Official body | Website |
|---|---|---|
| Registering a company | Companies Department (Registrar of Companies), Ministry of Justice | moj.gov.gm |
| Investment promotion | The Gambia Investment & Export Promotion Agency (GIEPA) | giepa.gm |
| Tax | Gambia Revenue Authority (GRA) | gra.gm |
| Central bank, currency and foreign exchange | Central Bank of The Gambia | cbg.gm |
| Work and residence permits | Gambia Immigration Department (GID) | gid.gov.gm |
| Courts and justice | The Gambian Judiciary | judiciary.gov.gm |
Each link was opened and checked as the body’s own website in October 2026. Links to official sites only – never to agents or look-alike sites.
Getting started
What foreign businesses usually sort out first
- Choose how you will operate. A subsidiary, a branch, a representative office, or working through a local partner or distributor. The options and their conditions are set by national company law.
- Register the business. Company registration: Companies Department (Registrar of Companies), Ministry of Justice.
- Register for tax. Tax registration: Gambia Revenue Authority (GRA).
- Check investment rules and incentives. Some sectors have licensing, local-ownership or registration rules, and some investors qualify for incentives. Investment agency: The Gambia Investment & Export Promotion Agency (GIEPA).
- Permits for foreign staff. Work and residence permits: Gambia Immigration Department (GID).
- Banking and foreign exchange. Rules on accounts, moving money in and out and paying dividends abroad come from the central bank (Central Bank of The Gambia) and the banks.
- Contracts and disputes. Agree the governing law, the courts or arbitration seat, and the language. The Gambia is not a party to the New York Convention – take advice on how a foreign judgment or award would be enforced.
A general checklist, not legal advice. What applies to you depends on your sector, structure and nationality.
Law firms
Law firms in The Gambia for business matters
Amie Bensouda & Co
Fajara
Semega Chambers
Fajara, Banjul
Solie Law Chambers
Fajara
Sunu Law Chambers
Serrekunda
4 firms in The Gambia list corporate, tax, employment or other business work on their own websites. See every firm in The Gambia.
Checking a lawyer in The Gambia
We could not find an official online source for who admits lawyers in The Gambia. Ask any lawyer you consider for their bar or law-society membership and admission details, and confirm them with that body or with the courts.
Questions
Doing business in The Gambia: questions
Where do you register a company in The Gambia?
With Companies Department (Registrar of Companies), Ministry of Justice (moj.gov.gm). Requirements change, so confirm them with the registry and a lawyer admitted in The Gambia.
Is The Gambia a party to the New York Convention?
No, according to the UNCITRAL status table checked October 2026.
Does The Gambia accept apostilles?
The Gambia is not a party to the Apostille Convention (HCCH status table, checked October 2026), so foreign public documents usually need legalization – typically through the issuing country’s foreign ministry and The Gambia’s embassy or consulate. Confirm with the authority that will receive the document.
What currency is used in The Gambia?
Gambian dalasi (GMD).