President Adama Barrow has pledged that 90% of Gambians will have access to electricity by the end of 2025, highlighting energy access as a cornerstone of the country’s development agenda.

Speaking during his State of the Nation address, Barrow described the energy sector as “central to national development objectives for economic growth, industrialisation, social modernisation, and progress.”

The president said significant strides had been made in expanding the electricity grid. Among the milestones, he cited the commissioning of The Gambia’s first utility-scale solar park in Jambur, a 23-megawatt (MW) facility unveiled in 2024.

“Plans are also underway for a larger 50 MW solar plant in Jarra Soma, which could eventually be scaled up to 150 MW of renewable energy,” he said.

To accelerate access, Barrow’s administration has introduced a subsidy programme that slashed the cost of electricity meters from D8,500 to D500 in areas covered by the project. The initiative facilitated over 72,000 new household connections by December 2024.

In a bid to improve efficiency and accountability, the Cabinet has also approved the unbundling of the National Water and Electricity Company (NAWEC) into two separate entities, one for water and the other for electricity services.

By Adama Makasuba