NREP Highlights
Buganda Kingdom Champions Clean Cooking for a Greener Uganda
Buganda Kingdom, in partnership with NREP, UNACC, and UK Aid, launched a Clean Cooking Campaign on February 26, 2025, at Bulange, Mmengo. The campaign promotes modern, energy-efficient cooking technologies to tackle indoor air pollution, deforestation, and rising fuel costs. Energy Minister Ruth Nankabirwa announced plans to extend the charcoal trade ban to all cities with electricity access, while the government is importing subsidized gas from Tanzania and preparing to distribute 500,000 gas cylinders for free. Buganda’s Second Deputy Katikkiro Twaha Kawase Kigongo reaffirmed the Kingdom’s commitment to sustainable resource use and ongoing collaboration with the government. Sensitization efforts have already begun in Masaka, Mbale, and Jinja to encourage adoption of clean cooking technologies.
Training Aligns Energy & Extractive Sectors with NABSAP III
A training organized by MEMD, supported by IUCN’s BIODEV 2030 project, aimed at aligning Uganda’s oil and gas development with environmental sustainability goals under NABSAP III. The training covered biodiversity best practices, including Environmental Impact Assessments and corporate responsibility, increasing stakeholder awareness and fostering environmentally friendly strategies.
Clean Cooking Workshop Empowers Greater Kampala Officials
ICLEI Africa conducted a capacity-building workshop for local government officials from Greater Kampala, part of the ENACTUS Uganda Scale-up project. Activities included demonstrations of electric pressure cookers and discussions on policies promoting clean cooking. This event marked a key step in urban clean energy transitions.
Breaking Barriers To Clean Cooking: Lessons From The Mbale City Outreach Campaign
The National Renewable Energy Platform (NREP), with support from the Ministry of Energy and Mineral Development, the UK Government, and in partnership with Modern Energy Cooking Services (MECS), conducted an awareness campaign in Mbale City from February 10th to 14th, 2025 under the Behavioral Change Communication for Clean Cooking (BCCeC) project..
Clean Cooking Takes Center Stage in Sembabule
On a lively day in Sembabule, the District Grounds stadium buzzed with excitement. While the sports gala united the community in celebration, it was the clean cooking campaign that stole the spotlight. Led by Hon. Shartsi Musherure, Member of Parliament for Mawogola North, this initiative seized the festive atmosphere to unveil innovative cooking solutions.
Jinja City Clean Cooking Exhibition
NREP and UNACC, supported by UK Aid/MECS, hosted an interactive Clean Cooking Exhibition in Jinja City featuring electric cooking demonstrations, leadership workshops, and discussions to encourage community adoption of electric cooking appliances. Participants explored solutions to high electricity tariffs and cultural barriers, suggesting subsidies and enhanced awareness efforts as solutions.
RE Sector Highlights Around the Region and Globe
1. Government Moots Nationwide Ban on Charcoal Trade
The Ugandan government is considering a nationwide ban on charcoal trade, particularly in urban areas where electricity access is reliable. Energy Minister Ruth Nankabirwa emphasized that shifting to electricity and gas for cooking is more cost-effective and environmentally friendly than charcoal, which has become increasingly expensive. This move aligns with Uganda’s long-term clean energy transition strategy, aiming to curb deforestation and encourage modern cooking technologies. The government is consulting key stakeholders before finalizing implementation plans.
2. Jinja College makes biogas from latrines
Jinja City Council, in partnership with the Ministry of Energy and Mineral Development, has launched an innovative biogas project at Jinja College. The system extracts biogas from the school’s pit- latrines to fuel cooking for students and illuminate the dining hall. Mr Ernest Nabihamba, the city natural resources of!cer, explained that they have long sought solutions for recycling its 212 tonnes of daily municipal waste into energy. “We needed $15m, which we don’t have,” Mr Nabihamba said. “Every day we generate 212 tonnes of waste, and 70 percent of it is enough to generate energy, but we advertised for investors, and nobody turned up.
3. Government proposes law on use of clean energy
Government has intensified efforts to promote clean energy use and efficiency with the introduction of the Energy Efficiency and Conservation Bill, 2024. The bill tabled before Parliament by State Minister for Energy, Hon. Sidronius Opolot on Tuesday, 04 February 2024, seeks to regulate energy consumption, curb waste and enhance the adoption of sustainable cooking technologies across the country. According to the Bill, “currently, there are no regulations governing the manufacture, distribution, and use of clean cooking efficient technologies.” It acknowledges that traditional cooking methods reliant on inefficient fuels such as wood and charcoal contribute to indoor air pollution, deforestation, and high energy costs. To address this, the Bill seeks to promote the development and adoption of improved cook stoves, biogas systems, electric cookers, and other clean cooking solutions.
Upcoming Events
Mbarara City Clean Cooking Exhibition 2025
NREP and UNACC, supported by UK Aid, MECS, and MEMD, are organizing Clean Cooking Campaigns to promote the adoption of cleaner, more efficient cooking technologies. The campaigns will feature live demonstrations, expert discussions, and community engagement.
- Date: Date: March 3–5, 2025
- Location: Location: Amazon Building Open Space
Energy Access Investment Forum (EAIF) 2025
Uganda will host EAIF 2025 at Speke Resort Munyonyo, bringing together over 1,000 global energy investors, policymakers, and business leaders to discuss investment opportunities in renewable electrification and clean energy transition.
