The Minister of Trade, Industry, Regional Integration and Employment (MoTIE), Mod K. Ceesay, has announced that Gambia’s employment has risen to 727,055 persons in 2026.
He made this statement on Wednesday, 24th June 2026, at parliament while responding to a question from Hon. Momodou L. Bah of Banjul North.
Hon. Bah asked the Minister to inform the Assembly when the Gambia Labour Force Survey for the first quarter of 2026 would be published, and what methodology underpins the reported creation of 163,000 jobs.
Minister Ceesay replied that the publication of the 2026 first quarter survey is slated for the end of June 2026 by the GBoS.
He said, “The survey’s preliminary findings indicate that employment increased from 563,395 persons in 2023 to 727,055 persons in 2026.”
This, he explained, represents an increase of 163,660 employed persons over the same period.
He added, “The labour force expanded from 609,410 to 775,348 persons, an increase of 165,938 individuals.”
According to him, this means more Gambians entered the labour market and a substantial portion were successfully absorbed into employment.
The Minister noted that these figures demonstrate a significant improvement in labour absorption and market participation, reflecting changes in employment status as a result of new entrants, returnees from leave, among others.
Wuli East Member, Hon. Suwaibou Touray, asked the Minister whether the survey had taken into account the unemployment rate of the country.
Minister Ceesay responded that the survey is carried out by the GBoS, who are familiar with the survey details, “so I am not in a position to provide that answer.”
In another question, the Janjanbureh lawmaker, Hon. Omar Jammeh, asked the Minister to state the government’s immediate interventions to stabilize food prices and protect low-income households from the rising cost of living.
Minister Ceesay explained that Gambia operates in a liberalized market, in which prices are primarily determined by market forces of demand and supply.
He said, “Consequently, the government does not interfere in the pricing of essential commodities.”
However, he emphasized that “the government is fully committed to implementing measures to promote the stability of prices of essential commodities, safeguard food security, and protect consumers from avoidable market disruptions.”
