Minister Juwara Says 2027 Budget Cut Will Not Derail Gambia’s Electrification Drive

By Makutu Manneh

The Minister of Petroleum, Energy and Mines, Nani Juwara, has assured Gambians that the reduction in his ministry’s 2027 budget allocation will not affect ongoing efforts to achieve universal electricity access across the country.

Speaking at the MansaKunda Town Hall meeting over the weekend, Mr. Juwara said the government had already secured sufficient funding from development partners to extend electricity to communities that remain without access.

His remarks came in response to concerns raised by a journalist following the presentation of the 2027 national budget by the Minister of Finance before the National Assembly. While several ministries received increased allocations, the Ministry of Petroleum, Energy, and Mines saw its budget reduced, raising questions about the potential impact on the country’s electrification programme amid persistent electricity challenges.

Mr. Juwara acknowledged the government’s financial constraints, noting that competing demands across various sectors had necessitated difficult budgetary decisions.

“This year, we have realized that the Ministry of Finance has a lot of budget constraints, and sectors have so many needs,” he said.

The minister explained that electricity access in The Gambia has surpassed 90 percent, with financing already secured to connect the remaining underserved communities.

He disclosed that the World Bank had recently approved more than $50 million in funding to support the government’s efforts to close the remaining electricity access gap.

According to Mr. Juwara, the funding will help extend electricity services to communities that have yet to be connected to the national grid, bringing the country closer to its target of universal access.

He said the availability of financing from development partners influenced his ministry’s decision not to seek additional resources from the national budget, allowing the government to prioritize other sectors facing more pressing funding needs.

Mr. Juwara maintained that the reduction in his ministry’s allocation should not be interpreted as a setback for the energy sector, emphasizing that the resources required to complete the electrification programme had already been secured.

He acknowledged, however, that the ministry would continue to require government support to meet its broader operational responsibilities.

Despite the budgetary constraints, the minister expressed confidence that ongoing energy projects would proceed as planned, insisting that the reduced allocation would not derail the government’s ambition to achieve 100 percent electricity access nationwide.