The Gambia’s economy will shrink in 2020 as a result of the impact of the coronavirus pandemic, the Finance Minister Mambury Njie told Parliament on Friday.

Mr Njie said the leisure and tourism industries were bit hard by the pandemic and would register negative growths this year. 

“Wholesale traders and hotels and restaurants are projected to register growth rate of negative 10.1% and negative 48.3% respectively.”

He added: “The new growth estimates are based on the shocks associated with the closure of airports, land borders and lack of tourism activities.”  

The previous growth estimates for the Gambia’s economy in 2020 was 6.5%. 

Reporting by Adama Makasuba