Shopify agency for brands in the Gambia
Realistic Shopify stores for Gambian makers and small brands, selling locally with mobile money and cash, and abroad to tourists and the diaspora.
Shopify experts for Gambia brands
The Gambia is mainland Africa’s smallest country, with around 2.7 million people, most living around the Greater Banjul Area. Local online selling is still young and runs mainly through Facebook and WhatsApp, with payment by mobile money or cash. The bigger opportunity for many brands lies abroad: the large Gambian diaspora in the UK, the US and Europe, and the tourists who visit the “Smiling Coast” each winter and discover its batik, carvings, fabrics and foods.
BOOST STAR Experts helps Gambian businesses build Shopify stores that suit these realities. For local customers we set up mobile money, cash on delivery and simple delivery zones. For buyers abroad we plan payment and shipping routes that actually work, sometimes through a partner or fulfilment arrangement overseas, and build English storefronts with strong product stories. Then we focus on social campaigns and email to bring customers back.
Selling online in the Gambia: what your store needs
Mobile money and cash
Wave has become one of the most used ways to send and receive money in the Gambia, alongside Afrimoney from Africell and QMoney from QCell. Cash remains common for deliveries. Card use is limited, and Shopify Payments is not offered to businesses registered in the Gambia, so stores combine manual mobile money confirmation with any gateway their bank supports.
VAT and documentation
VAT is charged at 15% by registered businesses, and the Gambia Revenue Authority oversees registration and returns. Food, cosmetics and craft exports must meet the rules of the destination country, and wooden items may need phytosanitary checks. A local accountant and your shipping partner can confirm the paperwork for each product type.
Local delivery and export shipping
Within Banjul, Serrekunda and the Kombos, sellers use their own riders or local delivery services, with cash collected at the door. Upcountry delivery is slower and less predictable. GAMPOST and DHL Express handle international parcels, and diaspora brands often ship stock in bulk to a partner abroad who dispatches individual orders.
Tourists and the diaspora
Most tourists come from the UK and northern Europe during the dry winter season, staying around Kololi and the Senegambia strip. Many want to reorder crafts, fabrics or wonjo and baobab products after returning home. Diaspora customers buy food, clothing and gifts, including orders sent to relatives in the Gambia.
Payments, delivery and compliance in the Gambia
- Wave
- Afrimoney
- QMoney
- Cash on delivery
- Bank transfer
- International cards via partner (export)
- Own riders & local delivery
- GAMPOST
- DHL Express
- Overseas fulfilment partners
- VAT (15%)
- Gambia Revenue Authority registration
- Export and phytosanitary documents
Working together
The Gambia is 5.5 hours behind India all year. Your morning is our afternoon, so we schedule calls then, and the day’s progress is written up and waiting for you before you finish work.
Time zone: GMT (UTC+0, no daylight saving). Currency: GMD (D, dalasi). Languages: English, Mandinka, Wolof, Fula.
How we work
Discovery call
We learn your goals, catalogue, tech stack and market, then agree what success looks like.
Audit & roadmap
A store, SEO and competitor audit turns into a prioritised roadmap with a timeline and fixed quote.
Design & build
UX, design and development in sprints, with a private preview store you review at every step.
Launch
QA across devices, redirects, tracking and a planned go-live with no downtime.
Grow
SEO, CRO and paid campaigns compound results month after month, with clear reporting.
Ongoing support
A dedicated team for fixes, new features and seasonal campaigns when you need them.
Frequently asked questions
Can a Gambian business take payments online through Shopify?
Yes, with some planning. Shopify Payments is not available in the Gambia, so local orders usually use Wave, Afrimoney or QMoney confirmed manually, or cash on delivery. For international card payments, brands typically work through a bank gateway, a partner abroad or an overseas entity. We help you choose a route.
Can diaspora customers order gifts for family in the Gambia?
Yes, and it is often a strong channel. We set up the store so buyers in the UK, US or Europe pay online and enter a delivery address in the Gambia, with a gift message. You deliver locally, and the customer receives a confirmation when it arrives.
How can tourists reorder from us after their holiday?
We add international shipping and pricing in pounds or euros, then put QR codes and email sign-up cards in your shop, hotel display or market stall. Visitors can find the same products online, and email campaigns before the next winter season remind them to come back.
How do you work with a business in the Gambia from India?
The Gambia is 5.5 hours behind India, so our afternoon is your morning. We schedule calls then, keep all tasks on a shared project board and send written updates. Every change is shown on a staging store for your approval before it goes live.
Is Shopify affordable for a small Gambian business?
It can be, if the store is kept simple. We recommend starting with a clean theme, only the apps you need and a focus on one or two channels, such as diaspora orders or tourist reorders. Costs depend on scope, so we agree a plan that fits your budget before any work begins.