By Fatou Sillah
The Ministry of Finance and Economic Affairs has set an ambitious revenue target of D23 billion for the Gambia Revenue Authority (GRA) in 2025. The announcement was made by Yankuba Darboe, Commissioner General of the GRA, during the Authority’s annual press conference. This target follows the GRA’s successful collection of D20.83 billion in 2024, surpassing its initial target of D19.2 billion.
“As the saying goes, when a person does a good job, they are given bigger responsibilities. True to this adage, the Ministry of Finance has raised the bar higher for 2025. The Authority has been tasked with collecting about D23 billion in 2025, averaging almost D2 billion per month,” Commissioner General Darboe stated.
Despite acknowledging the challenges associated with meeting such a demanding target, Darboe expressed confidence in the ability of his team to rise to the occasion.“The pressure of meeting monthly and annual targets is immense, but I am confident that with the support of the Board, Management, and the entire staff of the Authority, we will rise to the challenge. We are hopeful in meeting this target because many of our ongoing reforms will yield significant dividends in 2025 and beyond,” he added.
The GRA, as The Gambia’s primary revenue collection agency, has demonstrated consistent growth in its performance. Tasked with collecting D19.2 billion in 2024, up from D15.79 billion in 2023, the Authority surpassed expectations by achieving an 8% increase above its target. By the end of December 2024, GRA’s collection stood at D20.83 billion, marking an absolute variance of D1.8 billion over its target.
“When compared with the 2023 revenue performance, the Authority recorded a nominal revenue growth of 32%, with the Domestic Taxes Department and Customs and Excise Department growing by 27% and 36% respectively. In absolute terms, the 2024 revenue performance shows a revenue growth of D5 billion from last year, with the Domestic Taxes Department registering a revenue growth of D1.9 billion and the Customs and Excise Department registering a revenue growth of D3 billion,” he said.
Darboe attributed GRA’s success to the commitment of its staff and ongoing institutional reforms, which he believes will continue to bolster revenue collection efforts in the coming years.
With the bar set higher for 2025, the Commissioner General reaffirmed the authority’s dedication to delivering on its mandate and contributing significantly to the country’s economic development.