Gambia: Senelec Nawec Electricity Debt Fuels Power Crisis

• Gambia is facing a severe electricity shortage, with demand at 140 MW and significantly reduced imports from neighboring countries.
• The Gambian utility Nawec owes over 10 billion CFA francs to Senegal's Senelec, leading to decreased power supply from its neighbor.
• The crisis is exacerbated by the May 2025 termination of a contract with Karpowership, which previously supplied up to 40% of Gambia's electricity.
• Public protests erupted in Banjul in early September 2026, with residents demanding electricity and President Adama Barrow's departure amid power cuts lasting up to thirty hours.
• President Barrow, seeking re-election on December 5, has declared the crisis a "national security issue" and promised improvements by late October.

The Gambian President, who is seeking a third term in the upcoming December 5 presidential election, has characterized the ongoing electricity crisis as a 'national security issue'.

Gambia is currently grappling with a severe and escalating electricity shortage, leading to widespread disruptions across the nation. The country has historically relied on its neighbor, Senegal, for power, with Senegalese electricity having supplied Gambian rural areas since 2017. However, this critical supply chain is now significantly hampered, primarily due to substantial financial obligations. The Gambian National Water and Electricity Company (Nawec) has accumulated considerable debt to Senegal's national electricity company (Senelec), directly contributing to a sharp decline in power imports, as reported by Sheriff Bojang Jnr in Jeune Afrique on September 10, 2026.

The situation has deteriorated markedly, with Gambia's current electricity demand standing at approximately 140 megawatts (MW). In stark contrast, deliveries from both Senegal and Guinea have seen a significant reduction. Guinea's contribution, in particular, has been adversely affected by a drought impacting its hydroelectric generation capacity. This crisis is further compounded by the termination of a crucial contract in May 2025 with the Turkish company Karpowership, whose floating power plant previously met a substantial portion—up to 40%—of Gambia's national electricity requirements. The severe power cuts, some lasting as long as thirty hours, have ignited public fury, culminating in protests in Banjul in early September 2026, where residents erected barricades and clashed with police while demanding reliable electricity and the resignation of President Adama Barrow.

The current fragility of Gambia's electricity supply is deeply rooted in financial arrears and the resulting strain on regional energy agreements. Two key accords, established in 2017 and subsequently in 2022, were designed to bolster Senegal's capacity to export up to 50 megawatts (MW) of electricity to Gambia. These arrangements utilized the regional OMVG network, a vital infrastructure for cross-border power transmission. However, the efficacy of this system has been severely undermined by a mounting pile of unpaid invoices.

Official disclosures made by Nawec before the Gambian Parliament revealed that by the close of 2024, the outstanding debt had already surpassed 10 billion CFA francs. This significant financial burden on Nawec, owed to Senelec, has directly impacted the volume of electricity Senegal is willing or able to supply. The situation, as reported in September 2026, indicates a substantial worsening of these financial liabilities over the preceding two years, exacerbating the power deficit and jeopardizing the long-term viability of these critical energy partnerships.

The pervasive electricity crisis has rapidly evolved into a major political challenge for the Gambian government, particularly for President Adama Barrow. With a presidential election scheduled for December 5, in which he is seeking a third term, the widespread power outages and public discontent pose a significant threat to his political future. President Barrow has publicly acknowledged the gravity of the situation, characterizing the ongoing electricity crisis as a "national security issue," underscoring its potential to destabilize the nation.

In response to the escalating public anger and the approaching election, President Barrow has pledged to implement improvements to the electricity supply by the end of October 2026. However, external analysis, as reported by Jeune Afrique, suggests that any potential increase in electricity imports from Senegal and Guinea, while possibly mitigating immediate political fallout ahead of the December vote, is unlikely to address the fundamental, structural issues plaguing Gambia's power sector. This implies that the underlying problems could persist well beyond the electoral cycle, regardless of short-term fixes.

Source: Original reporting via Jeune Afrique