Distillers Alcohol regulations in Gambia
How to import or export liquor and spirits to Gambia, how to register products and labels, the import duty and taxes, and how to get a licence to make alcohol there. Researched December 2024.
Research guide, not legal advice. Compiled in December 2024 from the public sources listed at the bottom of this page. Duty rates, fees and rules change often: confirm with the regulator, a customs broker or local counsel before you act. Spotted something out of date? Tell us.
- Status
- Legal
- Legal drinking age
- 18
- Legal purchase age
- 18
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Licence to make spirits (distillery and bottling)
- 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
Import licence and registration
- 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
Product and label registration
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…
Import rules
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…
Import duty on spirits (HS 2208)
20% ad valorem based on CIF value (under the ECOWAS Common External Tariff Category 3 for final consumer goods).
Excise and taxes
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…
Retail and distribution
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).…
Online sale and delivery
not confirmed
Labelling
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…
Advertising
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…
Legal definitions of spirits
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…
Dry or restricted areas
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,…
Recent changes
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…
Opportunities for exporters
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…
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Sign in to read the full guideSources
- Gambia Revenue Authority - Customs & Excise Procedures
- Laws of The Gambia - Liquor Licences Act (Cap 92:02)
- Food Safety and Quality Authority of The Gambia - Import & Export Guidelines
- USDA Foreign Agricultural Service - Food and Agricultural Import Regulations and Standards: The Gambia
- The Alkamba Times - Gambia Government Unveils 2025 Revenue Measures
- FactCheck Gambia - Tax Regime and Alcohol Excise Increases
- World Health Organization - The Gambia Alcohol Consumption and Policy Profile
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