The East African nation, Uganda, has launched an impressive $638 million initiative to provide free electricity connections to over 900,000 households.
The Uganda Electricity Distribution Company Limited (UEDCL) and the Ministry of Energy and Mineral Development signed two implementation agreements for this intervention last Friday.
This initiative, part of the $638 million Electricity Access Scale-up Project (EASP), funded by the World Bank, aligns with Uganda’s Energy Transition Plan and Sustainable Development Goal 7, targeting universal access to affordable, reliable energy by 2030.
The World Bank had earlier noted that Uganda’s electricity access was 60% in 2022, with only 19% of rural households connected.
The financing and implementation framework
The EASP operates through two agreements.
First, the Results-Based Financing (RBF) agreement tasks UEDCL with pre-financing 508,035 connections, with reimbursements following independent verification.
Second, the Materials Provision agreement covers 388,400 connections, with the ministry supplying materials and compensating UEDCL for labor and transportation after verification.
In addition, these structured mechanisms ensure accountability and efficiency, as emphasized by Irene Bateebe, Permanent Secretary of the Energy Ministry, who has set a target of 400,000 annual connections for UEDCL.
“We are giving UEDCL an ambitious target to be able to make about 400,000 connections annually,” says Irene
The UEDCL Managing Director, Paul Mwesigwa, outlined the digitization of the application process to enhance transparency.
“We have digitised the process by making it easy for the customers and certified wiremen to apply online in order to minimise and eliminate unauthorised persons,” he said.
EASP Connections Manager Silvya Birungi also added that eligible households will apply for the free connections and will only pay a nominal inspection fee of UGX 23,600 ($6.59).
UEDCL, which assumed electricity distribution from Umeme in March 2025, inherited 127,000 pending connections, clearing 30,000 to date.
The company plans to connect 90,000 more households and is recruiting 400 additional technicians, expanding its workforce to 900.
The impact of the new connections
The EASP aims to benefit 1.36 million people and stimulate 500MW of power demand, driving economic growth by powering homes, businesses, schools, and health facilities.
Uganda’s recent $15 million investment in a smart meter factory by Henley Energy Uganda Ltd in Kawempe further supports grid modernization.
These efforts mark a transformative step toward energy equity and sustainability in Uganda.
