Gambia energy mix & electricity
Electricity generation in the Gambia reached 510 GWh in 2024. Oil provides 100% of it. Few countries depend so heavily on a single source.
The power system is very small (under 1 TWh a year), so it is not included in share-based world rankings. A single plant can change its mix dramatically from one year to the next.
Electricity generation by source in 2024
Share of electricity generation by source, with the change in percentage points over the last ten years.
| Source | TWh | Share | 10-yr Δ pp |
|---|---|---|---|
| Oil | 0.51 | 100% | 0 |
| Total | 0.51 | 100% |
Gambia: electricity in context
Electricity generation in the Gambia reached 510 GWh in 2024. That is similar to Timor-Leste. Oil provides 100% of it. Few countries depend so heavily on a single source.
0% of the country’s power came from renewable sources. This puts it 34 points below the world average of 33.8%. It is also below the average for Africa (24.7%). The carbon intensity of electricity is 667 g CO₂e/kWh; the global average is 458 g/kWh. That makes it one of the more carbon-intensive grids in the world.
Since 2014, the fastest-growing source has been oil: its output rose by 260 GWh, lifting its share by 0 percentage points. Overall, the renewable share has barely moved over ten years (a change of under one percentage point). Carbon intensity, however, rose from 640 to 667 g/kWh (+4%).
Coal has never been part of the power mix in the Gambia in any meaningful way.
Wind and solar remain marginal in the Gambia, together supplying under 1% of electricity.
The Gambia generates 185 kWh of electricity per resident each year, 5% of the global average. The Gambia does not trade electricity with other countries: the grid is not interconnected with any neighbour.
How the power mix has changed
Electricity generation by source since 2000. Switch to shares to see the structural shift independent of demand growth.
Power plants in Gambia
The WRI Global Power Plant Database lists 2 utility-scale plants in the Gambia with a combined capacity of 0.1 GW. Oil plants account for the largest slice (100% of listed capacity). The biggest single plant is Kotu (41 MW, Oil). The database was last updated in 2021, so newer wind and solar farms and rooftop PV are under-represented.
Largest power plants
| # | Plant | Fuel | Capacity MW | Commissioned | Owner |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Kotu | Oil | 41 | — | — |
| 2 | Banjul | Oil | 29 | — | — |
Source: WRI Global Power Plant Database v1.3 (CC BY 4.0). Explore all 2 plants on the interactive power plant map.
Solar & wind farms: Gambia
6 utility-scale facilities tracked by Global Energy Monitor (2026): 23 MW of solar and 0 MW of wind operating, plus 730 MW under construction or planned.
How does Gambia compare?
Gambia next to 6 neighbouring countries, plus regional and world averages. Click a column to sort; use “Compare” for full side-by-side charts.
| Country | Renewable % | Low-carbon % | Fossil % | gCO₂/kWh | kWh / person | Generation TWh | Mix | |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Gambia | 0% | 0% | 100% | 667 | 185 | 0.5 | — | |
| Senegal | 19.8% | 19.8% | 80.2% | 540 | 412 | 7.6 | Compare | |
| Guinea | 75.2% | 75.2% | 24.8% | 181 | 273 | 4 | Compare | |
| Cabo Verde | 30.8% | 30.8% | 69.2% | 462 | 991 | 0.5 | Compare | |
| Mauritania | 22.7% | 22.7% | 77.3% | 512 | 400 | 2.1 | Compare | |
| Liberia | 54.4% | 54.4% | 45.6% | 316 | 102 | 0.6 | Compare | |
| Côte d'Ivoire | 28.9% | 28.9% | 71.1% | 405 | 338 | 10.8 | Compare | |
| Africa average | 24.7% | 25.5% | 74.5% | 544 | 635 | 962 | Compare | |
| World average | 33.8% | 42.6% | 57.4% | 458 | 3,860 | 31,772 | Compare |
Calculators for Gambia
Gambia energy: frequently asked questions
What percentage of electricity in the Gambia is renewable?
What is the main source of electricity in the Gambia?
How clean is the electricity in the Gambia?
How much electricity does the Gambia use per person?
More countries in Africa
Sources & references
- Our World in Data: Energy dataset (CC BY 4.0) — compiled from the sources below
- Ember: Yearly Electricity Data — generation, shares, carbon intensity
- Energy Institute: Statistical Review of World Energy — primary energy, fossil production
- U.S. Energy Information Administration: International Energy Data — gap-filling for smaller countries
- World Resources Institute: Global Power Plant Database v1.3 (CC BY 4.0) — power plant locations and capacity
Electricity data: Ember and Energy Institute Statistical Review via Our World in Data (CC BY 4.0); latest year 2024. Power plants: WRI Global Power Plant Database (CC BY 4.0). Rankings exclude systems under 1 TWh and values older than 2020. Figures may be revised by the original publishers.