The Gambian government has moved to calm public anxiety over persistent electricity blackouts, insisting that the outages stem from technical problems in the regional power network rather than unpaid debts, and describing the situation as temporary.
In a press release issued by the Ministry of Petroleum, Energy and Mines, authorities acknowledged widespread frustration among residents, especially as the country prepares for Tobaski celebrations. The Ministry clarified that load-shedding primarily affects parts of the Greater Banjul Area and sections of the West Coast Region during evening peak hours, from around 6:00 p.m. onwards. Provincial regions, it said, remain largely unaffected.
The statement also warned that electricity interruptions could disrupt water supply in some areas, since water production and distribution systems rely heavily on stable power.
Rejecting speculation linking the crisis to financial arrears, the Ministry firmly attributed the challenges to technical difficulties within the regional power supply network. These issues have been worsened by fuel supply disruptions and broader geopolitical developments impacting energy suppliers across the sub-region.
“The current load-shedding is not a system failure but a result of technical issues,” the release emphasized.
The National Water and Electricity Company (NAWEC) is actively working to address the problem, continuing to operate and rehabilitate generators while fast-tracking efforts to boost domestic generation capacity. The company aims to bring additional units online soon, targeting nearly 50 megawatts of internal generation in the near term.
In the longer term, the government is pursuing greater energy security through major projects, including a planned 50MW solar energy initiative in Soma and other generation and transmission developments designed to reduce dependence on electricity imports.
The Ministry assured citizens that NAWEC technical teams and their regional partners are working around the clock to stabilize the system and restore a reliable power supply as quickly as possible.
The latest statement comes amid growing public concern over the reliability of electricity, a critical issue that affects daily life, businesses, and essential services in the country. While the government seeks to reassure the public, many residents continue to call for more transparent communication and faster, sustainable solutions to the power challenges.
