Gambia's President Adama Barrow has pledged to significantly boost electricity supplies by the end of October after violent protests erupted across the capital Banjul and surrounding areas over prolonged blackouts that have gripped the tiny West African nation since June. In a televised national address on Tuesday, Barrow declared the power crisis both a "national security issue" and an "emergency", acknowledging that outages had sometimes stretched to 48 hours and that government planning and maintenance systems had fallen short.

Frustration boiled over on Monday night as demonstrators took to the streets in Banjul and nearby cities, burning tyres and blocking roads while chanting "Barrow must go." Police deployed tear gas to disperse crowds in the Westfield district as they marched toward the headquarters of the National Water and Electricity Corporation (NAWEC), the country's energy provider. Protesters also gathered outside the vice-president's residence and damaged signage at an office of Barrow's ruling National People's Party in Farato.

In his address, Barrow struck a empathetic but cautionary tone. "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," he said. He also warned against damaging public infrastructure, saying it would worsen disruption and divert funds toward repairs rather than improvements. "Let us not destroy in a moment of anger what we suffered so long to gain," he added. The president announced that a new 24-megawatt generating unit is being installed at the Brikama power station and will be commissioned by the end of October, and that a contract has been awarded for a 50-megawatt solar power plant in Soma, though no completion date was given.

The Gambia — a narrow sliver of a country almost entirely surrounded by Senegal on the West African coast — relies partly on electricity imports from neighbouring Senegal and Guinea through a regional grid. NAWEC Managing Director Gallo Saidy explained that reduced rainfall this year had lowered available electricity from that regional network, while high temperatures had simultaneously driven up domestic demand. He also cited climate change and instability in global energy supply chains as contributing factors, and appealed for public patience.

The crisis carries significant political weight. The unrest comes just months before a presidential election expected in December, in which Barrow is seeking a third term — a bid that critics describe as controversial. The protests mark a sharp escalation from earlier demonstrations over the power shortages, and the government has sought to project urgency, with Information Minister Ismaila Ceesay stating that authorities are "working relentlessly" to resolve the situation. Whether the promised infrastructure improvements materialise in time to ease public anger before the election will be closely watched.