By: Fatou Dahaba
The President of the Gambia Chamber of Commerce and Industry (GCCI), speaking also in his capacity as CEO of Salam Financial Services, Njundu Fatty delivered an inspiring keynote address at the Yonna Group of Companies’ Annual Awards Program, praising the firm as a shining example of what Gambian private sector enterprise can achieve.
In a packed ceremony attended by board members, management, award recipients, staff, business leaders, and stakeholders, the GCCI President emphasized that gatherings like this go beyond mere celebrations. “We gather to honour effort, to celebrate excellence, and to affirm belief–belief in enterprise, belief in people, and belief in the promise of The Gambia’s private sector,” he declared.
Highlighting Yonna Group’s transformative role, he described the company, which employs 600 Gambians, as an “institution of national development.” He noted its contributions to job creation, skill development, and the raising of living standards, strengthening the economy’s backbone. “Yonna’s story is not only one of growth in numbers, but growth in impact – on livelihoods, communities, and the national economy,” he said.
The President pointed to specific initiatives: providing loans to women and youth in Basse to break poverty cycles; ensuring small businesses to boost confidence; facilitating remittances for school fees and medical bills; and supporting agriculture with machinery to enhance food security and self-sufficiency.
Expressing ambition for Gambian businesses, he stated, “We dream that one day Gambian enterprises will, in large numbers, become international players in the Sub-region and even globally. Yonna is on such a path.”
Addressing the government, the GCCI President reaffirmed support for “made-in-Gambia” initiatives and urged passage of the Local Content Bill before the end of the 2026 legislative year, insisting native Gambians must take their “right position” in the country’s business ecosystem.
Turning to the awardees, he stressed that recognition is a meaningful acknowledgment of discipline, excellence, and service. “Awards are not the destination; they are milestones,” he cautioned, urging winners to view themselves as torchbearers whose integrity sets the future. To non-winners, he offered encouragement: “The journey continues. Get inspired. Keep working. Tomorrow may be yours.”
He advised young professionals that integrity and honesty are the bedrock of long-term success, keeping doors open rather than merely unlocking them with qualifications.
Concluding on behalf of GCCI, he extended congratulations to the awardees, staff, and Yonna Group, expressing a commitment to partnership-building to build a competitive, inclusive private sector that empowers youth and women.
The event underscored Yonna’s growing influence and the private sector’s vital role in The Gambia’s development.
