By Makutu Manneh
The Gambia Bureau of Statistics has called for an expansion of formal employment opportunities after a new labor market survey found that a vast majority of workers in the country remain in informal jobs.
According to the bureau’s latest report, The Gambia Labour Market: Progress and Trends, 85.8 percent of employed persons were engaged in informal work in the first quarter of 2026—meaning fewer than one in seven workers held a formal position.
The report, which tracks trends from the 2022–23 labor force survey through early 2026, highlights the persistence of informality across key sectors of the economy. Rates were highest in construction, where 98.1 percent of workers were informal, followed by agriculture at 97.7 percent, accommodation and food services at 93.6 percent, and wholesale and retail trade at 91.5 percent. Overall, the informal sector accounted for 75.9 percent of employment, compared with 22.3 percent in the formal sector.
“Informality is highest in construction (98.1%), agriculture (97.7%), accommodation and food services (93.6%), and wholesale and retail trade (91.5%). The informal sector accounts for 75.9 percent of employment, compared to 22.3 percent in the formal sector,” the report stated.
The burden of informality fell unevenly across the population. Women and rural workers were disproportionately affected, with 88.7 percent and 91.2 percent, respectively, working in informal jobs, compared with 83.6 percent of men and 83.1 percent of urban workers.
Employment status also shaped outcomes. Contributing family workers and dependent contractors were found to be almost entirely informal, while employees recorded comparatively lower, though still significant, levels of informality at 63.5 percent.
Education emerged as a key dividing line. Informality exceeded 92 percent among workers with lower levels of education but dropped sharply to 37 percent among those with higher education, underscoring the role of skills and qualifications in accessing formal employment.
Geographic disparities were also pronounced. Informality was highest in Basse at 93.2 percent and lowest in the capital, Banjul, at 78.4 percent.
The survey further pointed to imbalances in working hours. While workers typically reported a standard 44-hour workweek, actual hours averaged 36.6, creating a gap of 7.4 hours. At the same time, nearly 40 percent of workers reported working more than 49 hours per week, suggesting both underemployment and overwork within the labor market.
“Informality is highest in Basse (93.2%) and lowest in Banjul (78.4%). Workers usually work 44.0 hours per week but actually work 36.6 hours, creating a 7.4-hour gap. About 39.2 percent work 49+ hours per week,” the report stated.
In response to the findings, the statistics bureau urged policymakers to prioritize the expansion of formal employment, alongside strengthening social protection systems for vulnerable workers. It also called for increased investment in education and skills training, as well as targeted interventions in rural areas and regions with particularly high levels of informality.
Improving job stability and productivity, the report noted, could help address both underemployment and excessive working hours.
The labor data was circulated through a link shared by the Ministry of Information, Media, and Broadcasting Services following public criticism of an earlier government statement that cited the creation of more than 160,000 jobs.
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