The Gambia has awarded a contract for a 50-megawatt (MW) solar plant at Soma, Ecofin Agency reported on September 9, citing President Adama Barrow's September 8 address. The government has not disclosed the contractor, project cost or commissioning date. Renewable energy supplied about 5% of electricity consumed in the first quarter of 2024, according to an IMF assessment cited by Ecofin.
Analysis: At 50 MW, the proposed plant would be equivalent to nearly half the 102 MW of available generation capacity estimated by the World Bank for 2024. It would be a substantial addition to a system where renewables supplied about 5% of consumption. But solar panels do not generate power at night, when NAWEC documents reported in June suggest demand peaks. Without storage, Soma would mainly reduce daytime fuel costs. Engineering companies and equipment suppliers could benefit from construction, although the government has not named the contractor, financier or cost. A contract notice would provide the first confirmation.
Source: Ecofin Agency, reporting President Barrow's address of 8 Sep 2026, Announced 8 September 2026 and Pledge of 8 September 2026; Ecofin Agency, citing World Bank data, 2024; Ecofin Agency, citing the IMF 2025 Climate Policy Diagnostic, Q1 2024