By Fatou Gassama
The Gambia Bureau of Statistics (GBoS), in partnership with key government institutions and development partners, recently held a national dissemination workshop at Ocean Bay Hotel to present findings from the 2026 Gambia Labour Force Survey (GLFS) Quarter One (Q1).
Policymakers, development partners, researchers, civil society organisations, private sector representatives, and media reviewed the latest labour market statistics, discussed emerging trends, and considered evidence-based policy responses to promote decent work and inclusive growth.
Statistician General Nyakassi Sanyang said the GLFS 2026 (Q1) is the fifth comprehensive labour force survey in The Gambia. Together with a companion trends report, it is the first to systematically compare labour market evolution across three rounds: 2023, 2025 and 2026.
The reports were produced by GBoS with the Ministry of Trade, Industry, Regional Integration and Employment, funded by the World Bank through the HISWACA Project, and with technical support from the International Labour Organisation. The survey’s key findings are as follows: Labour force and employment
Working-age population (15+) in 2026: 1,434,115 and labour force: 781,868; employed: 733,364; unemployed: 48,504. He said labour force participation rose from 43.6% (2023 Q1) to 54.5% (2026 Q1), a 10.9 percentage-point increase.
Sanyang disclosed that employment-to-population ratio increased from 40.3% to 51.1%, unemployment fell from 7.6% to 6.2%, unemployment and labour underutilization, LU3 (unemployment + potential labour force): 23.6% in 2026 Q1,
LU4 (unemployment + time-related underemployment + potential labour force): 32.1%, time-related underemployment: 11.1% (≈81,725 persons), discouraged jobseekers: 5.4% of working-age population, and long-term unemployment starts at (≥12 months): 24.7% of unemployed.
Employment structure
Services: 57.9% of employment.
According to Sanyang, industry labour rise from 24.3% (up from 21.2% in 2023) and agriculture 17.8% of employment.
He said the adoption of the 19th ICLS standards now excludes own-use food production from employment counts; adding that the lower agricultural share reflects this methodological change, not necessarily a decline in agricultural activity.
“By status, independent workers accounts for 58.5%, while employees 27.4% and private sector 90.8% of employment.”
Sanyang thanked the World Bank, the International Labour Organisation, and the Ministry of Trade, Industry, Regional Integration and Employment for their support. He urged policymakers, development partners, researchers, employers, workers’ organisations, and the private sector to use these findings to inform decisions, shape policies, guide investments, and improve Gambians’ well-being.
World Bank Country Representative Franklin Mutahakana described the reports as a significant contribution to evidence-based policymaking and congratulated GBoS and national partners. He noted World Bank support through HISWACA for GLFS 2025 and GLFS 2026 Round 1 and confirmed GLFS 2026 Round 2 will begin later this year to strengthen labour statistics continuity.
Minister of Trade, Industry, Regional Integration and Employment Mod K. Ceesay emphasised that reliable statistics are essential for effective governance and development. He highlighted the persistent dominance of the informal economy and commended the resilience shown by the labour market over the past three years despite global challenges. He thanked Gambian households that participated in the survey and called on stakeholders to use the findings to design policies and investments that promote productive employment, decent work, enterprise development, and inclusive growth.