By Omar Bah
Minister of Energy Nani Juwara has confirmed to The Standard that 719 Gambian communities have been connected to the national electricity grid as part of President Adama Barrow’s nationwide rural electrification drive, and that 200 additional communities will be commissioned over the next six months in the push to achieve universal access by the end of the year.
The commissioning of new lines and substations in villages such as Njongon in the North Bank Region, Panchang in the Central River Region and other communities marked a major phase in the rollout of the national electricity access projects.
According to the presidency and energy sector officials, a total of 719 communities across the country have been added to the grid, including 209 in the North Bank Region and 157 in the Central River Region, a scale described as unprecedented in The Gambia’s infrastructure history. President Barrow has since framed the achievement as a clear signal that electricity is no longer to be treated as a privilege for a few urban centres but as a basic service to be extended to every Gambian community.
With current progress, national electricity coverage has reportedly risen from about 73 percent to roughly 90 percent, positioning the country as one of the Ecowas states closest to achieving universal access ahead of the global 2030 target.
“The most important milestones that remain to achieve universal access by covering the remaining 10% un-electrified communities are the completion of the survey works and the launch of the procurement process for the works. As most of the materials are imported, there is the potential risk of supply chain constraints, but we will endeavour to minimise that risk,” Minister Juwara said.
He said after the recent inauguration of the 719 electrified communities, access levels in most parts of rural Gambia are above 80% or more, and the medium voltage transmission lines have reached almost every corner of the country and therefore, there is little or no technical challenges to hinder the country’s drive to achieve universal access.
“The government has allocated D397 million in the 2026 budget for electricity access to complement already committed funds from the World Bank – US$26 million and US$15 million from the Chinese government. The funds will be utilised to cover the remaining un-electrified communities countrywide.”
Minister Juwara added: “It is important to note that the EU, EIB and AfDB, have also contributed significant funds towards the electricity access projects and we are grateful to them. In addition to the already electrified communities, over 200 more communities are currently being electrified and are expected to be commissioned within the next six months.”
He added that access to electricity will no doubt bring about immediate transformation of the livelihoods of rural communities.
“It is expected to improve health care delivery by reducing government bills on maintaining expensive standby generators. It will provide reliable power supply in the health facilities to preserve vaccines and drugs thus, help to reduce maternal mortality rate. In the education sector, students’ performance in science and technology are expected to improve significantly. With the commissioning of the projects, we expect the emergence of several petty/small businesses that will help women, girls, and youth employment. The benefits of access to electricity are many, and we believe this will significantly close the development gap between urban and rural areas.”
Commenting on the sustainability part, Minister Juwara said the current infrastructure is new, and “we don’t expect major maintenance challenges, but nonetheless, Nawec will continue to monitor and carry out preventive maintenance on the network as and when required. To ensure reliable power supply, we will maintain our existing power supply facilities and continue collaboration with our regional organisations such as OMVG and WAPP to ensure reliable, affordable, and sustainable electricity supply.”
“In our effort to achieve sustainable energy security in the country, we are developing a 150mw regional solar park in Jarra Soma to meet the country’s energy needs and export the excess supply to neighbouring countries. The procurement process for the first phase of 50mw is at an advanced stage, and we hope to finalise the power purchase agreement in the second quarter of 2026. This development is in addition to the already commissioned 23mw solar plant in Jambur. Finally, universal access to electricity in The Gambia is no longer a dream but a reality.”
For his part, Nawec Managing Director Gallo Saidy said putting politics aside, the rural electrification project is a welcome development that should be celebrated. He said Nawec will ensure the sustainability of the project by building the capacity of its staff.
Special Presidential Adviser Momodou Sabally told The Standard: “The electricity access project is one of those pragmatic democratic milestones in our evolution as a nation. For a very long time in our history, key amenities like reliable electricity supply have been the preserve of the urban population, leaving the rural people excluded from benefiting from resources that we hold in common.”
The Gambia’s broader National Energy Compact is supported by partners including the World Bank, African Development Bank, European Union, European Investment Bank and Ecowas, bringing total energy sector commitments to an estimated US$552 million.
