THE GAMBIA is your ideal location for investments in Africa !

As an attractive investment destination, The Gambia has these unique Comparative advantages:

•  A stable and peaceful country

•  Easy and quick investment approval procedures

•  Liberal and free market economy without any ownership restriction or foreign exchange controls

•  Functional and efficient banking services with foreign currency denominated account facilities to ease international Trade

•  Free repatriation of capital and profits

•  Efficient port, airport and telecommunications services

•  Close proximity to EU and USA markets

•  Attractive investment incentive packages for investors

•  Adaptable and competitive labour force

•  Intellectual Property Rights

•  Constitutional guarantees and safeguards against nationalization and expropriation of investments.

•  Member of Multilateral investment Guarantee Agency (MIGA)

•  Member of International Center for the Settlement of Investment Disputes (ICSID)

•  Wide Market Access

•  English speaking

•  Friendly and hospitable people

What more could a prospective investor ask for?

It was for this, to encourage investments into The Gambia, that the Government established The Gambia Investment Promotion and Free Zone Agency (GIPFZA).

GIPFZA is the implementing agency of The World Bank / Gambia Government funded Gateway project and is responsible for:

•  Fostering local and foreign direct investment

- Promoting the export of local and value added products from The Gambia

•  Development and regulation of free zones and business parks

- Providing all necessary assistance and information to potential Investors

The Agency offers the following services:

•  Assistance in securing permissions, exemptions, authorization,

Licenses, land or any other requirement for establishing and operating a business enterprise.

•  Administration of incentive packages

•  Advise on the preparation of project proposal

•  Assistance in the identification of partnership, joint ventures and financing sources for viable investment projects

•  After care services to support sustainability of businesses

•  Site Visit Service to potential investors

•  Regulate the development of business parks

•  Identification and preparation of sites for business park development

GIPFZA is the focal point of all investment related matters in The Gambia and potential investors are encouraged to consult the Agency even though they are not required by law to register with the Agency. The services offered by GIPFZA are open to all investors, whether they are Registered with GIPFZA or not.

Documents required to determine eligibility for incentives

•  Two copies of a project proposal document and one soft copy

- Two copies of the company's Articles of Association and Memorandum of Association

•  Two copies of the company or business registration certificate

•  A completed GIPFZA form.

•  Regional Markets: Traditional Gateway to the vast sub-regional Economic Community of West African States (ECOWAS) market.

•  Generalized System of Preference (GSP): A wide range of industrial products and related agricultural products are entitled to duty reductions or exemption from all quota restrictions.

•  African Growth and Opportunity Act (AGOA): Exports from The Gambia qualify for preferential, duty free and quota free access to the U.S markets.

INVESTMENT OPPORTUNITIES & INCENTIVES

The Gambia offers immense investment opportunities in all sectors of the

economy. Attractive incentive packages are also available to investors

under the Gambia Investment Promotion Act 2001 & Free Zones Act

2001.

Priority Sectors:

•  Agriculture

•  Fisheries

•  Energy

•  Manufacturing

•  Tourism, Information, Communication & Technology

•  Skills Development

•  Forestry

•  River and Air Transport

•  Other services (financial, off-shore, health & veterinary)

The two sets of incentive packages administered by GIPFZA are:

1. SPECIAL INVESTMENT CERTIFICATE

Holders of the SPECIAL INVESTMENT CERTIFICATE will be entitled to the following incentives for a period of five years:

•  Exemption from withholding tax on dividends

•  Exemption from customs duties on the following items:-

•  The approved capital equipment

•  Machinery

•  Appliances

•  furniture and fittings imported for the direct use of the projects or business.

•  The approved quantities of semi finished products, spare parts, raw materials and other supplies to be used in the production process

•  Exemption from sales tax on the above mentioned imported goods

•  Exemption from turnover from the allocation of land for the site of the proposed investment

•  A special and attractive scheme of accelerated depreciation

1. FREE ZONES LICENCE

Holders of the FREE ZONES LICENCE will be entitled to the following incentives:

•  Exemption from the payment of import duty, excise duty and sales tax on goods produced within or imported into a zone, unless the goods are customs territory.

•  Exemption from import duty on capital equipment

•  Exemption from corporate tax

•  Exemption from withholding tax on dividends

•  Exemption from the payment of municipal taxes

Apart from these specific incentive packages, additional support may be extended depending on the strategic nature of the investment. There in no difference between foreign and domestic investors.

  >trigger below for comprehensive investment info<

  http://www.gipfza.gm