Salifu Bah’s extensive career, in finance spans over 15 years, marked by progressive leadership positions across public sector entities, state-owned corporations, and leading financial institutions in The Gambia.As the Director of Finance at the Gambia Petroleum Commission, he has held the leadership role since February 2023.
In this capacity, he oversees the financial strategy and operations of the Commission, ensuring robust fiscal governance in support of The Gambia’s emerging oil and gas sector. With a proven track record in strategic finance, risk management, and regulatory compliance, Salifu plays a key role in driving financial excellence, optimizing resource allocation, and advancing sustainable economic development through the petroleum industry.
Prior to his current role, he served as Interim Financial Specialist at the Millennium Challenge Account-Gambia (MCA-Gambia) in 2023, where he contributed to critical financial oversight and project implementation.
From September 2017 to January 2023, Salifu was Head of Financial Reporting (Systems & Controls) at the Gambia National Petroleum Corporation. There, he led a team of 4 direct and 9 indirect reports, successfully spearheading the migration of the core accounting application and payroll systems.
His responsibilities included supervising financial reporting, ensuring timely preparation of financial statements, managing financial instruments such as Letters of Credit and Bank Guarantees, advising on revenue maximization and cost reduction strategies, preparing investment appraisals for capital expenditures, engaging with international oil companies on license agreements (including BP and Far Gambia), and coordinating budgets and forecasts.
Earlier, as Head of Finance at Access Bank Gambia Ltd, he supervised the finance department, managed cash flow and treasury controls, ensured regulatory compliance, contributed to business strategy formulation, and built effective budgets while maintaining strong relationships with external auditors.
At Ecobank Gambia Ltd, Salifu held roles as Financial & Tax Reporting lead and Internal Auditor, where he managed financial and tax reporting teams, oversaw daily accounting functions, conducted financial analyses, and performed comprehensive audits to enhance operational efficiency.
His career began with tax and assurance expertise at DT Associates Gambia (formerly Deloitte & Touche) as a Tax Analyst and Trainee , where he conducted due diligence, audits, and tax compliance for diverse clients, including government parastatals and financial institutions.
Salifu’s leadership is characterized by a commitment to innovation, team development, and strategic financial management. His contributions have been recognized through accolades, including being named among the Top 50 CFOs in 2025.
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