By Alieu Ceesay
The National Water and Electricity Company (NAWEC), Gambia’s sole electricity provider, said it is grappling with a series of vandalism incidents that have severely disrupted its operations and raised serious concerns about the safety of its staff. The targeted attacks on critical infrastructure, including the Jambur Solar Plant and other key sites, have caused significant power disruptions and financial losses, prompting NAWEC to call for heightened public vigilance and urgent action from state security forces.
On June 3, 2025, NAWEC reported a major incident at its Jambur Solar Plant, located in an isolated area. Unknown perpetrators tampered with and cut cables, disconnecting a set of 36 solar panels. This act of vandalism has significantly reduced the plant’s operational capacity, disrupting power generation and affecting electricity supply across the country.
According to Sanna Touray, NAWEC’s Director of Corporate Services, the incident has had “devastating consequences” on the company’s ability to provide a stable power supply to Gambian households and businesses.
“The vandalism at Jambur caused a significant disruption in the plant’s operation and output,” Touray said. “As a utility, if cables are cut—a magnitude of 36 sets of panels—that disrupts power generation for any plant. This incident has impacted NAWEC’s operations as a whole and its ability to serve the Gambia.”
The financial toll is equally severe. The valuable stolen cables, which can be sold on the black market, represent a substantial loss for NAWEC. Touray highlighted the dual impact of such acts: “There are so many devastating consequences that come out of this kind of thing. One of them is power disruption, and the other aspect is the financial losses.”
The Jambur incident is not an isolated case. NAWEC’s SS5 site along the Salaji Forest in Bohol was also vandalized recently, as was the Bohol A12 site just a week prior. These repeated attacks have affected 1,108 solar panels, which are now unable to supply power to the grid.
Edward Jatta, Senior Manager of Generators at NAWEC, emphasized the broader implications of these incidents. “I think it’s important that we call on Gambians, non-Gambians, and everybody living in the Gambia to be quite vigilant,” Jatta urged, underscoring the need for community cooperation to protect critical infrastructure.
The vandalism has also raised alarms about the safety of NAWEC staff, who work in often remote and vulnerable locations. Despite the presence of state and private security at the Jambur Solar Plant, criminals have managed to evade detection, heightening concerns about a growing security threat. NAWEC’s management has responded by engaging the country’s top security officials to address the issue. A senior management team has met with high-level security authorities to develop strategies to prevent further damage and ensure the safety of personnel and infrastructure.
The incidents have been reported to the police, who have launched investigations to identify and apprehend the perpetrators. Meanwhile, NAWEC staff are working tirelessly to repair and reinstate the damaged panels to restore full operational capacity. However, the scale of the damage and the recurring nature of these attacks pose significant challenges to the company’s efforts to maintain a reliable power supply.
NAWEC’s leadership has called on the public to remain vigilant and report any suspicious activities near its facilities. The company is also exploring additional security measures to safeguard its infrastructure, which is vital to the country’s economic and social well-being. As investigations continue, the people of Gambia are urged to support NAWEC in protecting the nation’s power supply and ensuring its safety.
