Power Strain Deepens as NAWEC Warns of Worst-Case Scenario Amid Middle East Turmoil

By Makutu Manneh

The managing director of the National Water and Electricity Company, Gallo Saidy, on Tuesday warned that ongoing power cuts could worsen, urging Gambians to prepare for a “worst-case scenario” as geopolitical tensions in the Middle East continue to disrupt energy supply chains.

Speaking at a press conference, Mr. Saidy described the current outages as temporary but uncertain in duration, reflecting broader global pressures beyond the country’s control. While he expressed confidence that the situation would eventually stabilize, he acknowledged that there is no clear timeline for resolution.

“But to tell you the truth, we as Gambians need to be prepared for the worst-case scenario. So the reality is, we put in place risk management processes, and this load shedding is part of that,” he said.

He said the government was treating the situation with urgency and that NAWEC was working closely with the executive branch to implement measures aimed at mitigating the crisis.

Mr. Saidy emphasized The Gambia’s heavy reliance on imported electricity, noting that while such dependence is not inherently problematic, it exposes the country to external shocks. He said the company’s long-term strategy includes reviving domestic generation capacity to reduce reliance on imports and, eventually, position the country as a potential energy exporter.

Before that goal can be realized, however, he said, NAWEC must focus on managing its existing resources. “Gambia does not have many resources,” he said. “The only resource we have is the human being; there is no oil, we have nothing. So we have to import energy.”

He stressed that the current challenges are not unique to The Gambia but part of a wider global energy crisis. Until there is greater certainty surrounding the conflict in the Middle East, he said, consumers should not expect an uninterrupted electricity supply.

“It is not going to happen. What is going to happen is that we will try to mitigate the risks that are associated with global issues, and this is one of them, to prepare the public to understand that most of this is beyond our control,” Saidy said.

He urged consumers to use electricity more efficiently and cooperate with authorities as efforts continue to stabilize the system and minimize the impact on households and businesses.

“What we can do is to try to mitigate the impact on our communities and make sure the public understands it and tries to work with us and better utilize the electricity they are getting.”