Alcohol regulations in Gambia

Licences needed

Liquor manufacturing licence, FSQA Food Business Operator establishment registration and hygiene permit, environmental clearance from the National Environment Agency (NEA), local municipal business registration

Authority

Ministry of Interior / Local Licensing Authorities, Food Safety and Quality Authority (FSQA)

Documents

Business registration certificate, premises facility layouts and inspection reports, standard operating procedures, food safety management plan, NEA environmental approval

Fees

not confirmed

Time to obtain

not confirmed

Who can import

Registered corporate commercial importers with valid Tax Identification Numbers (TIN)

Licences or registrations

Registration as a Food Business Operator with FSQA, GRA customs registration via ASYCUDA

Authority

Food Safety and Quality Authority (FSQA), Gambia Revenue Authority (GRA)

Documents

FSQA Import Declaration Form (lodged at least 21 days prior to shipment arrival), Certificate of Origin, Certificate of Analysis/Health Certificate issued by the competent authority of the exporting country, commercial invoice, bill of lading, packing list

Fees

FSQA consignment inspection fees: GMD 1,000 for a 20-foot container, GMD 1,500 for a 40-foot container, GMD 750 for shipments under 20 feet

Time to obtain

not confirmed

Required

no

Process

The Gambia does not operate a pre-market brand or label registration system (such as US COLA). However, food and beverage business operators must be registered with FSQA, provide 21-day advance notification of consignments, and comply with national food safety and general pre-packaged food labeling standards.

Authority

Food Safety and Quality Authority (FSQA), The Gambia Standards Bureau (GSB)

Documents and samples

Manufacturer Certificate of Analysis, product commercial specifications, sample product labels upon inspection

Fees

None for brand/label registration

Renewal

not confirmed

Time to obtain

not confirmed

Commercial imports must be declared through a licensed clearing agent via the ASYCUDA system. Consignments must be notified to FSQA 21 days before arrival and require a Certificate of Origin and a Certificate of Analysis from the exporting country's food safety authority. GRA requires bonded warehouse licensing for spirits at GMD 30,000 annually plus bank/security guarantee. Digital tax stamp verification has been rolled out by GRA on excisable items.

20% ad valorem based on CIF value (under the ECOWAS Common External Tariff Category 3 for final consumer goods).

Specific excise duty on spirits: D260 per litre (effective 2024), increased to D275 per litre under the 2025 budget measures; Standard Value Added Tax (VAT): 15% applied on (CIF + customs duty + excise duty); Additional import levies include the ECOWAS Community Levy (0.5%–1.0%), African Union Levy (0.2%), and customs processing fees (approx. 1.55%).

Regulated under the Liquor Licences Act (Cap 92:02). Retail sales of spirits and intoxicating liquor are permitted only through licensed premises (hotels, restaurants, licensed bars, licensed supermarkets, and bottle shops). Licences are subject to locality review, gazette notice, and municipal operating-hour conditions. Sales to individuals under 18 years of age are strictly prohibited.

not confirmed

Labels must be in English (additional languages permitted). Must comply with Codex Alimentarius General Standard for the Labelling of Prepackaged Foods (GAMS CODEX STAN 1-1985), including product name, net contents, alcohol content (% ABV), ingredient list, manufacturer/bottler details, lot identifier, and country of origin. Labels must not mislead consumers regarding safety or nature of the product under Section 42(1) of the Food Safety and Quality Act 2011.

Alcohol advertising is strictly banned on national television and radio. Sport sponsorship by alcohol brands is prohibited by law. Print and outdoor billboard advertisements are legally permissible but restricted and subject to general rules against false or misleading promotion.

The Gambia Standards Bureau adheres to Codex Alimentarius standards. Under the Liquor Licences Act, 'beer' and 'wine' exclude products exceeding 20% pure alcohol; separate statutory definitions or specific minimum ABV standards for individual spirits (e.g., whisky, vodka, gin, rum) are not confirmed.

No legally established dry regions nationally, though retail outlets are concentrated in the coastal tourism and urban districts (Greater Banjul, Senegambia, Kololi) due to social and religious abstention across inland, predominantly Muslim communities.

• From January 1, 2024, the specific excise duty on imported distilled spirits was raised from D245 to D260 per litre.
• In the 2025 revenue measures presented in December 2024, the Minister of Finance announced a further increase in the specific excise duty on spirits from D260 to D275 per litre.
• The Ministry of Interior and Gambia Police Force increased enforcement operations against unlicensed liquor vendors and supermarkets to eliminate alcohol sales to minors.

Opportunities exist primarily in supplying international hotels, beach resorts, and expatriate-oriented supermarkets in the Greater Banjul and coastal tourism corridors with premium whisky, gin, and brandy. However, the commercial market is limited in size due to a predominantly non-consuming local population and escalating specific excise duties.

• Gambia Revenue Authority (GRA)
• Food Safety and Quality Authority (FSQA)
• The Gambia Standards Bureau (GSB)
• Ministry of Interior

1. Gambia Revenue Authority - Customs & Excise Procedures
2. Laws of The Gambia - Liquor Licences Act (Cap 92:02)
3. Food Safety and Quality Authority of The Gambia - Import & Export Guidelines
4. USDA Foreign Agricultural Service - Food and Agricultural Import Regulations and Standards: The Gambia
5. The Alkamba Times - Gambia Government Unveils 2025 Revenue Measures
6. FactCheck Gambia - Tax Regime and Alcohol Excise Increases
7. World Health Organization - The Gambia Alcohol Consumption and Policy Profile