Darboe Promises to End Gambia’s Electricity Crisis by 2031

By Fatou Sillah

United Democratic Party leader Ousainou Darboe has pledged to address The Gambia’s chronic electricity problems by 2031 if elected president, outlining plans to overhaul the National Water and Electricity Company and attract greater private investment in the energy sector.

Speaking in an interview with West Coast Radio, Darboe said the challenges facing NAWEC require a comprehensive approach that addresses electricity generation, transmission, and distribution, as well as the utility’s finances and management.

“You cannot do this all in one or two years, but we will then have started the realistic approach to it and will have laid the foundation for it, so that by the time we leave government in 2031, the electricity problem will be a thing of the past,” Darboe said.

Darboe identified inadequate generation capacity as one of NAWEC’s most pressing challenges and said his administration would prioritize investment in expanding the country’s energy supply.

He also called for The Gambia to reduce its dependence on fossil fuels and create incentives for independent power producers to invest in the country. Under his proposal, private power producers could receive tax breaks for at least five years, allowing them time to recoup their investments and encouraging greater participation in the energy market.

Darboe also said NAWEC should be insulated from political interference, arguing that the company’s managers must be given greater freedom to make professional and technical decisions without pressure from political authorities.

He raised concerns about the cost of importing electricity from neighboring Senegal, saying the arrangement places a significant financial burden on the country.

“The importation of electricity into our country is costing us a lot,” he said. “Millions and millions of dalasis are being spent a day on getting electricity from Senegal.”

Darboe said partnerships between NAWEC and private investors would form another part of his strategy, with the aim of increasing generation capacity and creating a more reliable and sustainable electricity supply.

The Gambia has struggled for years with an unreliable power supply, with recurring outages affecting households and businesses. Darboe said a long-term restructuring of the energy sector, rather than short-term interventions, would be necessary to resolve the problem.