By Makutu Manneh
The Gambian government, through the National Water and Electricity Company, has signed contracts worth about $14.2 million to bring electricity to 241 communities in the Upper River and Central River regions, part of a broader effort to expand power access across the country.
The project, financed entirely through the national budget, will involve constructing about 377 kilometers of medium-voltage lines and 248 kilometers of low-voltage networks, as well as installing 219 distribution transformers, according to a statement from the Ministry of Petroleum, Energy, and Mines.
In the Central River Region, 148 villages are expected to benefit from the project. Alpha TND was awarded the contract, valued at approximately $8.81 million, to construct 223 kilometers of medium-voltage lines and 165 kilometers of low-voltage networks and install 140 distribution transformers.
The Upper River Region component will cover 93 villages and will be carried out by Power Factor Limited under a contract worth about $5.35 million. The work includes 154 kilometers of medium-voltage lines, 83 kilometers of low-voltage networks, and 79 distribution transformers.
At the signing ceremony, the Minister of Petroleum, Energy, and Mines reaffirmed the government’s commitment to expanding electricity access to communities that remain outside the national power network, the ministry said.
The ministry described the contracts as another step toward universal electricity access in The Gambia, saying the expansion is expected to improve services in schools and health facilities while supporting businesses and broader economic activity in the beneficiary communities.
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