11th Jan 2023

Connectivity and Electricity Solutions for The Gambia

In The Gambia, 4G is not yet widely deployed. Also, broadband data connections are generally unavailable outside of cities. Half of the population do not connect to the Internet and only 60% of the population has access to electricity. The affordability is a huge challenge for both power and connectivity.

With this background Gam Excel Company ltd and Karugrid Oy have entered into an agreement on the supply of community-hosted private LTE technology and smart off-grid solar electricity to the Gambian market. The aim is to bring affordable electricity, connectivity, and digital services to those unserved and underserved. The systems in the scope of the agreement provide a flexible platform for supporting digital transition of education and other public services in The Gambia.

The collaboration provides a good basis for the parties to continue joint co-innovation on methods for uplifting digital skills with Gambian partners and authorities. The platform being developed closely follows the IEEE-published principles for Social ISPs with the aim of making The Gambia a focal point for further refinement and validation of the solution.

Karugrid, Poutanet, and Gam Excel agree to seek out and further expand the platform ecosystem around finding Gambian software and service providers to address different needs around education and eGovernment.

Based on the agreement Gam Excel can immediately offer small 4G networks and off-grid solar systems that support load prioritization, charging for electricity and full remote monitoring capabilities. Together with local partners providing user equipment, software, and content this allows successful adoption of digital solutions in The Gambia. Gam Excel, Karugrid and Poutanet are also committed to supporting the development of skills needed and ensuring the social acceptance of the solutions.