By Makutu Manneh
President Adama Barrow on Monday inaugurated a major electricity expansion project in the Upper River Region, extending power to 202 communities in one of the country’s most underserved areas and advancing his government’s push toward universal access by the end of 2026.
Speaking at a ceremony in Ja Kunda, Wuli District, Mr. Barrow said the project marked a significant milestone in The Gambia’s development agenda, placing the country on track to meet its national electrification target four years ahead of the United Nations’ Sustainable Development Goal deadline of 2030.
“This event is not merely about switching on lights,” Mr. Barrow said. “It is about fulfilling promises and delivering opportunity, dignity, and inclusive growth to our people.”
The expansion is part of a broader effort to close the electricity access gap that continues to affect millions across Africa. In The Gambia, where rural communities have long relied on generators or lived without power altogether, officials say the new connections are already transforming daily life.
Government authorities cited improvements in health services, education, and mobile connectivity, as well as the introduction of digital teaching tools in schools. Electricity access has also bolstered small businesses and agricultural production, while the installation of more than 95,000 electricity meters nationwide is intended to improve efficiency, transparency, and service delivery.
“Electricity access is not an end in itself,” Mr. Barrow said. “It is a powerful driver of progress across education, health, water, agriculture, and enterprise — the very pillars of sustainable development.”
The project was supported by international partners, including the World Bank Group, the European Union, and the European Investment Bank. Mr. Barrow credited their financial and technical assistance with helping to modernize the country’s power sector, calling the collaboration a shared commitment to ensuring affordable and reliable energy for all.
As part of the ceremony, the president formally switched on transmission lines connecting the communities of Kwonkunding, Sare Teneng, Samba Gabudeh, and Kolibantang to the national grid.
For residents in the Upper River Region, one of the country’s most remote areas, the arrival of electricity represents more than infrastructure—it signals new possibilities for education, commerce, and public services, and a closer integration into the national economy.
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