Expect Transformation at The Gambia Petroleum Commission as Cany Jobe states priorities
Cany Job Cany Jobe, the new Director General of The Gambia Petroleum Commission, has disclosed her priorities, saying she would strengthen regulatory systems, build institutional capacity, reinforce transparency and ensure that the sector is managed responsibly.
Jobe, a former Director, Exploration and Production at the The Gambia Petroleum Corporation, was recently appointed by President Adama Barrow of The Gambia to pilot the affairs of the Commission.
The Petroleum Commission was established by the Petroleum Commission Act, 2021 as the Regulatory Body for Upstream and Midstream Petroleum activities and its objectives include regulating petroleum activities, managing petroleum resources, ensuring compliance with laws, policies and regulations and Promoting Local Content for sustainable national development.
The Petroleum Commission has a critical mandate to protect the national interest by regulating the upstream and midstream petroleum sectors in a manner that is technically sound, and aligned with national development priorities.
Priorities
However, in a note confirming the appointment to the African Association of Energy Journalists and Publishers, AJERAP, she stated: “As I prepare to assume this role, my focus will be on strengthening regulatory systems, building institutional capacity, reinforcing transparency and ensuring that the sector is managed responsibly and in the long-term interest of the Gambian people. As The Gambia continues to position itself within the MSGBC Basin, it is essential that our regulatory framework inspires confidence, balances investor interest with national priorities, and upholds the country’s sovereign rights over its resources.
“I look forward to working closely with the Ministry of Petroleum and Energy, industry stakeholders, and our technical teams to ensure that petroleum development, when it occurs, delivers sustainable and measurable value for the Gambian people.”
Profile
Cany Jobe is an energy professional with close to 18 years of international experience across petroleum exploration, project development, and energy policy. Prior to her appointment, she served as Director of Exploration at the Gambia National Petroleum Corporation (GNPC), where she advised the government on oil and gas and new energy exploration and led the implementation of GNPC’s technical partnerships with international energy companies.
Beyond GNPC, Cany has played an active role in regional and continental energy initiatives. She engages extensively with regional institutions and global development partners to advance energy access and transition objectives in Africa. Notably, she was engaged by the ECOWAS Commission in 2022 to develop the country’s Liquefied Petroleum Gas (LPG) Popularisation Strategy, a flagship policy initiative aimed at accelerating the adoption of LPG as a cleaner, safer, and more accessible alternative to traditional biomass fuels for cooking.
Cany’s studies and early career took her around the world, building a strong foundation in technical expertise. She has worked with China Petroleum Corporation (Taiwan), and with PDVSA on drilling operations in the Maracaibo Basin in Venezuela. In Australia, she contributed to a major INTECSEA–UWA project assessing development concepts for more than 15 trillion cubic feet of gas in the offshore Browse LNG Basin, collaborating across reservoir engineering, completions, facilities, and project economics.
Having lived, studied, and worked across five continents, Cany is known for her ability to connect across cultures and disciplines combining cross-cultural leadership with technical depth and strategic insight. She is a sought-after panelist and keynote speaker and is a strong advocate for STEM initiatives, sustainable development, gender equity, and inclusive leadership.
Her leadership has been recognised through major regional and international honours, including selection as one of 23 Global Women Leaders by Global Media Group’s NBC Washington Series; designation as a National STEM Icon in The Gambia; inclusion in the Choiseul 100 Africa Laureates 2025, recognising Africa’s most dynamic economic leaders under 40 shaping the continent’s future; and the Industry Pioneer Award at the 2025 MSGBC Oil, Gas & Power Conference.
Education
Born and raised in the Gambia, Cany did her primary and tertiary schooling in the Gambia at St Joseph’s Ex Pupil’s Primary School, Ndow’s Comprehensive JSS and Gambia Methodist Academy where she was a Head girl. She was somewhat of a child prodigy, as she won inter school debate and quiz competitions, hosted community awareness radio & television programs and topped national and school examination result lists.
In 2000, at the age of 14, she received the maiden Trust Bank Gambia Millennium Excellence Award (2000) for best academic results nationwide and went on to receive the Ministry of Foreign Affairs Taiwan Best Student Excellence Award (2006).
She is an alumna of Australia Development Awards (2011), Mining for Development Award (2013) and Commonwealth Awards (2019). She holds a Master of Engineering degree in Oil & Gas from the University of Western Australia, an Accredited Master of Project Management from Glasgow Caledonian University, Scotland and a B. Sc in Materials & Mineral Resources Engineering & Management from National Taipei University of Technology in Taiwan.
Outside of work, Cany supports several community initiatives, and is a proud wife and mother of two boys. She brings a spirit of purpose, curiosity, and connection to everything she does.
