Gambia’s Barrow Declares Power Crisis a National Emergency After Blackout Protests
GAMBIA · SOCIETY Key Facts —The emergency President Adama Barrow has declared The Gambia’s prolonged electricity crisis a national emergency and promised new generation capacity as protests over rolling blackouts intensify. —The blackouts Some communities have gone without power for up to 48 hours during the hot season. The state utility, the National Water and […] The post Gambia’s Barrow…
Gambia's President Adama Barrow declared a national emergency on Monday, in response to the country's recent electricity crisis that has left residents without power for up to two days during the hot dry season. Protests erupted in Banjul and surrounding areas, with demonstrators burning tires and demanding Barrow's resignation.
The crisis has led to hospitals and businesses being affected, including one case of a patient dying during surgery when power failed. NAWEC, the state-owned utility company, has warned of further power cuts, including in provincial towns. Barrow has promised to address the issue by installing a 24-megawatt generation unit by the end of October, and planning for an additional 50-megawatt solar power plant.
However, the Gambia's energy system relies heavily on imported fuel and aging equipment, and has historically been prone to power outages. The country's presidential election is scheduled for December 2026, and Barrow is seeking a third term, making the power crisis a significant campaign issue.
Written by urgent.news from The Rio Times's reporting — not their text. Machine-written — may contain errors; check the original before relying on it.
