What does it take to get a payment processing licence in The Gambia?
To hold a payment processing licence in The Gambia, you need the Payment service provider licence from Central Bank of The Gambia. Published minimum capital: Ten Million dalasis (D10,000,000) core capital, held at the time of authorisation, for a payment service provider other than a licensed bank, financial institution or authorised e-money issuer (Mobile Money Regulation 2011 §5.1). Full requirements — minimum capital, local presence, timeline, local ownership, fees and ongoing obligations — are set out below in each instrument's own words, with source and date; amounts are in the statute's own currency.
“Payment processing” here is the normalized activity: Provide payment processing / payment solution services without holding customer funds. Providers in this category cannot keep customers' money.
Activity id (as used by the Afriset MCP): fintech:PAYMENT_PROCESSING
Payment service provider
Central Bank of The Gambia| Requirement | As published | Source | Source date |
|---|---|---|---|
| Minimum capital | Ten Million dalasis (D10,000,000) core capital, held at the time of authorisation, for a payment service provider other than a licensed bank, financial institution or authorised e-money issuer (Mobile Money Regulation 2011 §5.1). Verbatim“A payment service provider, other than a licensed bank, financial institution and an authorised e-money issuer, shall, at the time of authorisation, hold a core capital of not less than Ten Million dalasis.” | Regulation for the Provision of Mobile Money Services, 2011 — §4.1/4.2 (authorisation process, 30-day decision, LLC-in-Gambia, D10k fee), §4.5 (12-month renewal), §5.1/5.2 (D10M core capital + D5M security deposit), definitions (retail-transfer D10k cap; e-money issuer carve-out) | 2011-10-15 |
| Local presence / incorporation | The applicant must be a limited liability company registered in The Gambia (Mobile Money Regulation 2011 §4.2(a)). Verbatim“The person is a limited liability company registered in The Gambia” | Regulation for the Provision of Mobile Money Services, 2011 — §4.1/4.2 (authorisation process, 30-day decision, LLC-in-Gambia, D10k fee), §4.5 (12-month renewal), §5.1/5.2 (D10M core capital + D5M security deposit), definitions (retail-transfer D10k cap; e-money issuer carve-out) | 2011-10-15 |
| Timeline | The Bank decides within thirty days of receiving the complete information requested under §4.1 (Mobile Money Regulation 2011 §4.2). Verbatim“The Bank shall, within 30 days of receiving the complete information requested under 4.1, authorise a person as a payment service provider” | Regulation for the Provision of Mobile Money Services, 2011 — §4.1/4.2 (authorisation process, 30-day decision, LLC-in-Gambia, D10k fee), §4.5 (12-month renewal), §5.1/5.2 (D10M core capital + D5M security deposit), definitions (retail-transfer D10k cap; e-money issuer carve-out) | 2011-10-15 |
| Local ownership | No such requirement: The Mobile Money Regulation 2011 imposes no local-shareholding or nationality cap on a payment service provider. | Regulation for the Provision of Mobile Money Services, 2011 — §4.1/4.2 (authorisation process, 30-day decision, LLC-in-Gambia, D10k fee), §4.5 (12-month renewal), §5.1/5.2 (D10M core capital + D5M security deposit), definitions (retail-transfer D10k cap; e-money issuer carve-out) | 2011-10-15 |
| Fees | A non-refundable application fee of Ten Thousand dalasis (D10,000) is lodged with the Bank (Mobile Money Regulation 2011 §4.2(i)). Verbatim“The person has lodged a non-refundable application fee with the Bank of Ten Thousand Dalasis or any such amount that may be determined by the Bank from time to time.” | Regulation for the Provision of Mobile Money Services, 2011 — §4.1/4.2 (authorisation process, 30-day decision, LLC-in-Gambia, D10k fee), §4.5 (12-month renewal), §5.1/5.2 (D10M core capital + D5M security deposit), definitions (retail-transfer D10k cap; e-money issuer carve-out) | 2011-10-15 |
| Ongoing obligations | A payment service provider must at all times hold core capital ≥ Ten Million dalasis plus a Five Million dalasis security deposit (which may be invested in Treasury bills), reviewable by the Bank (§5.2); the authorisation is valid for and renewable each twelve-month period, and remains in force while a renewal application is pending (§4.5); a retail transfer to a payee holding no payment account may not exceed ten thousand dalasis (definitions); quarterly reporting to the Bank applies (§13). Verbatim“payment service providers shall at all times hold core capital equal to or greater than. (a) Ten Million Dalasis; and (b) Security deposit of Five Million Dalasis which may be invested in Treasury bills. The security deposit shall be subject to review from time to time. … An authorisation made under this clause may on expiry be renewed for a further period of twelve months” | Regulation for the Provision of Mobile Money Services, 2011 — §4.1/4.2 (authorisation process, 30-day decision, LLC-in-Gambia, D10k fee), §4.5 (12-month renewal), §5.1/5.2 (D10M core capital + D5M security deposit), definitions (retail-transfer D10k cap; e-money issuer carve-out) | 2011-10-15 |
Requirements as published in the cited instruments — not legal or compliance advice. Capital and fees are shown in the currency the statute itself uses. Where a value is located but not yet verified, we show that it exists but don't publish the figure. Verify directly with the regulator.
Maintained: this official source is re-checked on a weekly schedule — last checked 2026-08-04 · unchanged since the previous check.
Who already holds this licence?
0 entities are on the Central Bank of The Gambia register under the Payment service provider category — view the register .
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