The National Water and Electricity Company (NAWEC) has issued a public alert about severe electricity shortages gripping the Greater Banjul Area (GBA) and West Coast Region (WCR), leaving many households and businesses facing daily blackouts lasting up to 10 hours.
In a statement released today, NAWEC attributed the crisis to a sharp drop in power imports from the regional OMVG/WAPP network, combined with limitations in domestic generation capacity. Electricity imports, which form the backbone of the country’s supply, have been slashed by up to 60 megawatts due to technical problems and fuel shortages at regional power plants.
Local backup systems, meant to cushion such interruptions, are currently operating at required levels below because of ongoing maintenance, delayed repairs at key facilities, and soaring fuel costs. This has resulted in a power deficit exceeding 50 percent of national demand.
“As a result, most communities are experiencing daily synchronized power outages,” the statement said. NAWEC has activated emergency load-shedding measures to share the limited power more equitably, with priority given to critical infrastructure such as hospitals and water production facilities.
The utility is collaborating with regional partners to fast-track the restoration of imports and the completion of maintenance works. NAWEC projects a gradual return to normal supply by mid-June 2026, depending on the pace of regional recovery and the progress of domestic repairs.
The company stressed that the situation is temporary and stems from a combination of external and operational challenges rather than any fundamental breakdown of the national system.
“NAWEC acknowledges the inconvenience caused and sincerely regrets the impact on households and businesses,” the statement added. “Every effort is being made to restore normal electricity supply as quickly as possible while safeguarding essential services.”
NAWEC pledged to keep the public updated as developments unfold.
