Gambia electricity infrastructure expansion

The Gambia has initiated significant electricity infrastructure projects to expand and upgrade its national power grid.

In the Greater Banjul Area, the government signed a contract with China’s TBEA Company Limited to rehabilitate medium- and low-voltage lines and install new transformers. This project, funded through China Aid, aims to benefit approximately 80,000 residents by addressing sector weaknesses and reducing power outages.

To support the national goal of universal electricity access, the government has signed $14.2 million in contracts to electrify 241 communities within the Central River Region (CRR) and Upper River Region (URR). This initiative, financed through the national budget and implemented by the National Water and Electricity Company (NAWEC), involves installing 625 kilometers of new lines and 219 transformers. Specifically, Alpha TND was awarded $8.81 million to service 148 villages in the CRR, while Power Factor Limited received $5.35 million for 93 villages in the URR. Further expansion includes contracts with Kutehjumble Electrical & Consultancy Company Ltd and Powercon Mouguaw Enterprise to electrify 10 communities in the West Coast Region.

However, the EFSCRJ NAWEC Watch has raised concerns regarding these expenditures. The group argues that expanding the grid without increasing domestic generation capacity is ‘fundamentally imprudent,’ warning that new connections may inherit persistent outages. Noting a heavy dependence on imported power from Senegal and Guinea, the watchdog cautioned that the government is ‘effectively building pipes while the well runs dry,’ advocating for investment in domestic energy sovereignty.