Fellow Gambians, I am duty-bound to address you on the electricity situation in our country: what the causes are, what the Government is doing about it, and what you can expect. With much concern and regret, I am aware of what prevails in your homes. I know that the fans have stopped turning, children work in the dark, mothers throw away stale food, and the heat is unbearable by day and by night. I am aware of your discomfort and frustrations wherever you may be, and I reassure you, as the Head of State of this country, that this is not what I wish for our people, it never has been, and we will do whatever it takes to address it soonest.

This is why I have not rested in searching for solutions, day and night, with my Ministers, with the Management of NAWEC, and with our partners here and abroad for the sole reason of permanently restoring uninterrupted power supply in our houses and workplaces. To put it frankly, these are not normal times, and this burden is not ours alone. The West African Power Pool has publicly declared that country after country in our region is facing similar power cuts at the same moment. The demand for electricity is at record level, major generating units are failing together, and seasonal conditions are cutting down what our hydropower can produce through the OMVG. Tonight, families across our neighbouring countries sit in the same darkness as we do here in The Gambia.

I must admit, however, the shortcomings in our planning, power generation, and maintenance systems to take corrective measures. In this direction, the Government is in the final stage of installing an additional twenty-four (24) megawatts generation machine at the Brikama Power Station, which we visited today. This will be commissioned by the end of October 2026. For a system of our size, this is considerable power, enough to make a big difference in your homes. The contract for a fifty-megawatt (50 MW) solar power plant in Soma has also been awarded, and the contracted company is now mobilising the necessary resources to begin work soon. We must note, nevertheless, that the sun does not shine at night, and that is when people suffer most. What solar does is to carry the daytime load cheaply and rest our engines so that they are fuelled and ready for service in the evening, when families are at home. I have set up a Presidential Task Force on Electricity Supply, chaired by the Vice President, that reports to me directly and publicly provides updates to the nation every two weeks. As I speak, there are engineers on our plants without sleep, so work does not stop when the cameras are switched off, and it will not stop until the job is done.

Fellow Gambians, This country has come a long way, from thirty-six per cent (36%) electricity access in 2017 to about ninety per cent (90%) today. Communities where an electric bulb had never been lit before, now have children doing their homework under electric bulbs. This is evidence of my government’s effort and determination to provide electricity for all, and we have made impressive progress. It demonstrates further that when we set ourselves to a task, we deliver. What we have achieved in increasing access to electricity is what we are determined to do for power generation. Speaking not as President, but one of you, I must point out that you have the right to express your views honestly, but let us not, in our frustration, tear down what we built with our own hands through public funds. This will worsen the situation. The street transformer, the line running into your neighbourhood, and other national equipment belong to you, the people. When you destroy them, it will add to the suffering of the people around you, and their repairs or replacement will require additional resources that could be spent elsewhere.

The peace of this country and the name we have earned before the world took years of sacrifice and resources to build. We can lose it in one night if we do not act with caution. Let us not destroy in a moment of anger what we suffered so long to gain. We have to move forward collectively as a nation and address our concerns tactfully.

I will not promise you what the Government cannot deliver, but we commit that the electricity supply situation in the country will improve by the end of October 2026. On behalf of my administration, I assure you that every second counts, as we endeavour to improve the lives of all Gambians.

Your engineers are awake, the Government is awake, and your President is awake with you. We think about your plight and will not rest until there is light in your homes. With this reassurance, in the nights and days ahead, be patient and act with restraint. Be mindful of the sick, the elderly, and the children with us. When you lie down in the heat and the dark, believe that you are not alone in that darkness.

You have a caring President who empathises with you and a government that listens and works in your best interest; therefore, be patient and support us to address the current situation permanently. May the Almighty Allah bless the nation and grant us relief soonest. I thank you all.