Uganda has committed to ensuring universal access to electricity by the year 2030, aligning its efforts with Sustainable Development Goal 7 (SDG 7), which calls for affordable, reliable, sustainable, and modern energy access for all. The country views this commitment as a foundation for industrial growth, job creation, and improved social services delivery. However, as the government moves to expand the electricity grid and power generation, affordability remains a pressing barrier for many Ugandans, especially in rural and low-income communities.
Currently, Uganda’s electricity access rate stands at 60%, according to the Electricity Regulatory Authority (ERA). While this is a significant improvement from previous years, achieving the remaining 40%—often in hard-to-reach or economically marginalized areas—will require aggressive investment, innovative policy reforms, and stakeholder collaboration.
“We are currently at 60% access level,” said ERA CEO, Eng. Ziria Tibalwa Waako, while speaking at the Africa Electricity Symposium in Kampala. She emphasized that while physical access is expanding, the challenge now is ensuring that electricity is affordable and practically usable by all citizens. “Power is useless to those who can’t afford it. It is just mere wires flying over their property,” she said, underscoring the gap between infrastructure and actual utility.
The push for universal electricity access is not merely a domestic ambition. It is intrinsically linked to global development priorities. SDG 7 has become a rallying point for governments, development agencies, and investors to prioritize energy access as a catalyst for inclusive growth and socio-economic transformation. In Uganda’s case, the government sees electricity not only as a convenience but as a tool to unlock rural potential, power schools and hospitals, and attract investment in value-added industries.
Despite the growth in infrastructure, affordability remains a thorny issue. Electricity tariffs in Uganda, as in many East African countries, remain relatively high compared to average incomes. ERA data shows Uganda’s average tariff at around 20 US cents per kilowatt hour—placing it among the highest in the region. For comparison, Tanzania offers lower tariffs at 14.9 US cents, largely due to significant government subsidies, while Burundi tops the list at 23.8 US cents.
These high costs discourage many households from connecting to the grid even when it is physically available. For many families, the initial connection fees and monthly power bills are unaffordable, leading to underutilization of installed capacity and limiting the impact of access programs. This situation has created what experts call “access without usage,” where infrastructure exists, but electricity remains a luxury rather than a basic utility.
Eng. Waako noted that this dilemma necessitates urgent regulatory reform. She stressed that delivering affordable electricity requires transforming how the sector is planned, financed, and managed. Regulatory changes must support innovation, encourage private investment, and streamline processes that reduce the cost of electricity generation, transmission, and distribution.
Strategies to Reach the 2030 Goal
To meet the universal access target by 2030, Uganda has embarked on several initiatives supported by international development partners, including the World Bank. Among them is the “Accelerated Access to Electricity” program, which focuses on expanding last-mile connections to rural areas. Subsidies and cross-subsidization strategies are being explored to make these connections affordable.
“There are programs for densification and intensification, not just on the side of last-mile connection,” said Waako. “Because when I connect you, the next issue is that you need reliable, safe and affordable electricity.”
These efforts are being integrated into a broader national electricity resource plan, which seeks to harmonize generation, transmission, and distribution developments. This includes prioritizing new power generation projects, such as the 804-megawatt Ayago hydropower plant. The government views Ayago as critical in ensuring Uganda does not face future generation deficits, especially as demand rises.
Equally important is the development of transmission infrastructure. Transmission lines are now visible along major highways, stretching into every region of the country. Substations are being built or upgraded to support reliable power flow, while investment in operation and maintenance is also being scaled up.
Overloaded transformers are being replaced, and rapid response systems are being enhanced to deal with outages and customer complaints.
At the heart of Uganda’s electrification agenda is a vision of electricity as a key enabler of socio-economic transformation. The government sees energy access not just as a developmental metric, but as a foundation for industrialization, youth employment, and improved public service delivery. Whether it’s powering agro-processing zones, lighting up schools and clinics, or enabling small businesses to grow, electricity has the potential to uplift millions out of poverty.
Eng. Waako emphasized this dual role of energy—fueling industrial growth and improving human welfare. “All this works together to create an environment in which the electricity supply industry is able to meet the two thematic areas: industrialization to fuel the economy and create jobs; and improved services for the welfare of society.”
Uganda’s vision for universal electricity access by 2030 is ambitious but achievable. It requires more than just laying power lines and building plants; it demands a holistic approach that tackles affordability, infrastructure resilience, and equitable access. If these challenges are met, electricity could become one of the most transformative tools in Uganda’s development journey, lighting up homes, businesses, and opportunities across the country.
