AfDB Report Calls for Women to Lead Gambia's Clean Energy Future

The report shows that women, especially those living in rural communities, continue to bear the greatest burden of energy poverty.

The African Development Bank (AfDB), in partnership with The Gambia's Ministry of Gender, Children and Social Welfare and with support from the Climate Investment Funds (CIF), has launched a new strategy that places women at the centre of the country's transition to renewable energy.

The report, "Women as Key Partners: A Gender-Transformative Renewable Energy Strategy and Action Plan for The Gambia," outlines a roadmap to ensure women participate equally in shaping the country's clean energy future. It also highlights the gap between existing gender policies and their implementation, calling for practical action to make the energy sector more inclusive.

Energy poverty continues to affect women the most

The report shows that women, especially those living in rural communities, continue to bear the greatest burden of energy poverty. Around 90 percent of households still depend on firewood and charcoal for cooking, while only 1.7 percent of the population has access to clean cooking fuels and technologies. Access to electricity also remains uneven, reaching about 85 percent of urban households but only 35 to 40 percent of those in rural areas.

Despite playing a central role in household energy use, women remain significantly underrepresented in the sector. They account for only about one percent of employees at the National Water and Electricity Company (NAWEC), highlighting the need for greater participation in decision-making and technical roles. The findings are based on surveys involving 279 respondents, focus group discussions, interviews with key stakeholders, and community radio dialogues conducted across all seven regions of The Gambia.

Five-year plan aims to boost skills, finance and leadership

The action plan, covering the period from 2026 to 2030, focuses on five priority areas: strengthening policies and governance, expanding scholarships and vocational training, improving access to finance, increasing community engagement, and building stronger partnerships to support women's participation in renewable energy. The report identifies limited access to finance, land, training, and markets, along with cultural barriers, mobility restrictions, and low representation in science, technology, engineering, and mathematics (STEM), as major obstacles preventing women from entering the sector. At the same time, it highlights successful examples of women leading solar installation projects, clean cookstove initiatives, and briquette production enterprises.

AfDB's Manager for Gender and Women's Empowerment, Nathalie Gisabo Gahunga, said the goal is to ensure women and girls participate equally with men throughout the energy transition. She stressed the importance of providing training, mentorship, supportive policies, and technologies that respond to women's needs. Officials from The Gambia's Ministries of Gender and Petroleum also reaffirmed their commitment to building a renewable energy sector that is inclusive, practical, and capable of supporting sustainable national development.