Gambiaj.com – (BANJUL, The Gambia) – Gambian financial economist Mam Cherno Jallow has been appointed Director-General of the Inter-Governmental Action Group against Money Laundering in West Africa (GIABA) for a four-year term.
Jallow’s appointment was approved by the ECOWAS Authority of Heads of State and Government during its 69th Ordinary Session held in Lungi, Sierra Leone, on July 19, 2026.
The appointment places the experienced Gambian economist at the helm of the regional institution responsible for supporting West African countries in efforts to combat money laundering and terrorist financing.
More Than Three Decades of Experience
Born in Banjul on July 10, 1966, Jallow brings more than 35 years of experience spanning the public and private sectors as well as regional West African institutions.
He holds a Master of Business Administration in Banking and Finance from the African Centre for Higher Studies in Management (CESAG) in Dakar, specializing in financial markets and corporate finance. He also obtained a bachelor’s degree in Economics from the International Islamic University in Kuala Lumpur, Malaysia.
With specialized training in anti-money laundering, Jallow has also built extensive expertise in private sector development, resource mobilization, strategic planning, and institutional management.
Sixteen Years Within the ECOWAS System
Jallow has spent the past 16 years working within the ECOWAS institutional system, gaining extensive knowledge of the regional body’s structures, policies, and operational mechanisms.
Before his appointment as Director-General, he had served as Acting Director of Administration and Finance at GIABA since January 2024. In that capacity, he oversaw administrative and financial operations for GIABA as well as the ECOWAS Centre for Gender Development.
He joined GIABA in January 2022 as Head of Strategic Planning and Resource Mobilization, a position he held until December 2023. During that period, he supervised the development and implementation of the institution’s strategic plan, ensuring that it remained aligned with ECOWAS priorities and GIABA’s mandate as a Financial Action Task Force-style regional body.
Between January 2019 and December 2021, Jallow served as Head of Strategic Planning, Monitoring and Evaluation in the Office of the Vice-President of the ECOWAS Commission in Abuja, Nigeria. His responsibilities included coordinating the development of the regional strategic framework and medium-term work programs for ECOWAS institutions, departments, and agencies.
Earlier, from October 2015 to January 2019, he served as Head of Cooperation with Emerging and Developed Markets at the ECOWAS Commission, contributing to efforts to strengthen cooperation between the regional bloc and major emerging economies, including Turkey, China and BRICS member countries.
Strong Private Sector Background
Before joining the ECOWAS Commission, Jallow served as Director-General of the Federation of West African Chambers of Commerce and Industry (FEWACCI) from February 2010 to September 2015.
During his tenure, he worked to revitalize the organization and strengthen its role as an interlocutor between governments and economic actors on regional economic policy issues.
He had previously served for six years as Executive Director of the Gambia Chamber of Commerce and Industry, further cementing his experience in private sector development and economic policy.
Jallow is fluent in English and French and also has a good knowledge of Arabic and professional proficiency in Spanish, linguistic skills expected to support his work at the head of a regional institution with international partnerships.
National Recognition
In recognition of his contribution to The Gambia’s economic development, Jallow was named a Member of the Order of the Republic of The Gambia (MRG) in 2010.
As GIABA’s new Director-General, he will lead the institution’s continued efforts to strengthen West Africa’s response to money laundering and terrorist financing, at a time when countries across the region are seeking to reinforce systems aimed at preventing illicit financial flows and related financial crimes.
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