Africa-Press – Gambia. A new youth empowerment hub opened in Bijilo on 18 February 2026, with Abraxas CEO Baboucarr Ngum using the occasion to call for African self-reliance and a rejection of foreign dependency.
Ngum described the Abraxas Job Placement Center (AJPC) as a Gambian-led initiative aimed at guiding young people into employment while promoting the philosophy of community solidarity over charity. “This is a revolution,” he said.
“Abraxas is here to change the attitude of believing in ourselves. We do not depend on the Western world. It is all Gambian — no European, no NGO, no government.”
The centre provides six months of career counselling, including training in customer care, discipline, and work ethics, before linking participants to attachments and employment opportunities across various institutions and businesses. According to Ngum, more than 300 youths have already benefited from the programme since its earlier operations along Kairaba Avenue.
Beyond job placement, Abraxas integrates entrepreneurship support, offering affordable shop spaces for small businesses, particularly women producing locally made goods. The centre also runs a multipurpose hall and an institutional radio platform, designed for seminars, forums, and community engagement activities that strengthen skills and civic participation.
Ngum emphasized that Abraxas reflects a wider Pan-African philosophy of self-belief, dignity, and national ownership. He urged Gambians, particularly the youth, to embrace local knowledge and culture while contributing actively to national development. “We are building our country ourselves,” he said. “Solidarity, not charity, is our principle.”
Linking the initiative to broader challenges, Ngum noted that empowering youth at home could reduce the pressures driving irregular migration. By providing guidance, skills, and opportunities locally, the centre aims to inspire confidence and self-reliance among Gambian youth.
The opening of the centre marks a new phase for Abraxas, with Ngum expressing hope that the initiative will not only guide young people into employment but also promote confidence, dignity and self-reliance among Gambian youth.
