The candlelight protest in Banjul is a powerful reminder that The Gambia’s electricity crisis has moved beyond a technical problem at the National Water and Electricity Company (NAWEC). It has become a matter of public confidence, economic survival and government accountability.
Residents who marched towards State House carrying candles were expressing a frustration shared by households and businesses across the Greater Banjul Area and other communities. Their message, “NAWEC, bring back our electricity,” should not be dismissed as political agitation. It reflects a basic demand for a service that is essential to modern life.
The government has repeatedly appealed for patience, and President Adama Barrow has acknowledged the seriousness of the situation. But patience has limits. Citizens need more than assurances that the crisis is temporary. They deserve clear information about what is causing the outages, what corrective measures are being implemented and when meaningful improvements can be expected.
More troubling is the National Audit Office’s Special Audit covering NAWEC’s operations from 2022 to 2024. The findings point to weaknesses in procurement, internal controls, emergency expenditure, advance payments and contract management. More than D135 million in expenditure was flagged in connection with various areas of concern.
These findings demand a serious institutional response. They should not automatically be interpreted as proof of criminal conduct, but neither should they be ignored. The relevant authorities must investigate the reported weaknesses, establish responsibility where appropriate and ensure that public resources are properly managed.
At the same time, the electricity crisis requires more than assigning blame. NAWEC needs stronger management systems, reliable financing, adequate generation capacity, efficient fuel management and long-term investment.
The Banjul protesters have illuminated an uncomfortable truth: electricity is life. The government must therefore listen to the public, address legitimate grievances and demonstrate through concrete results that restoring reliable power is an urgent national priority.