The Kotu power plant has made a reliable, 24-hour electricity supply possible.

As The Gambia’s economy flourishes, demands for energy, water and sewerage services to fuel and nourish development projects increases. The National Water and Electricity Company Limited (NAWEC) has the important role of overseeing that those demands are met in a timely and efficient fashion. Thus far, the state-owned company has done very well with limited resources; however, it would like foreign investors to step in and collaborate in the process of extending water, electricity, and sewerage services to all corners of the country.

“Electricity is the driving force behind development. Unreliable electricity supply affects all sectors,” observed Momodou Jallow, managing director for NAWEC. He and other officials know that if they want to support The Gambia’s economic growth they will need to get power to more areas of the country.

Involvement from the private sector has already worked well in The Gambia. The government commissioned the construction of a private power plant and saw its investment completed and operational seven months later. The addition of the 25MW plant gave Gambians a solid foundation to build upon. “We now have a reliable 24 hour electricity supply from NAWEC, which we believe will bring back investor confidence in the country,” Mr. Jallow said. The government is following up the success of the project with additional investments that will add more than 20 megawatts.

While officials would be happy to receive further investment in the sector to supply the whole country, their focus is more on the transmission and distribution infrastructures. “There are a lot of people within the greater Banjul area and the western region who need electricity but are outside the network coverage area. This is why we need some investments in the transmission and distribution network as soon as possible.”

The Gambia is now ahead of most of its neighboring countries in terms of coverage. More than 40 percent of the country is covered. Bringing electricity to the majority of regions where it is unavailable is a major priority and part of a national grid plan. There has been talk of introducing alternative energy sources such as wind and solar energy to rural communities.

As far as legal guarantees go, Mr. Jallow said: “We have the legal framework and a regulator in place. It encourages the participation of investors and assures them that we have systems in place that safeguard their investments, guaranteeing free and fair competition once they are ready to participate.”