Uganda driving towards an electric future with ambitious e-mobility strategy

Uganda is stepping up efforts to attract investment into agro-processing, electric mobility and green technology as the government seeks to accelerate industrialisation and position the country as a regional manufacturing hub.

The renewed investment drive was highlighted during a high-level meeting convened by the Head of the State House Investors Protection Unit, Col. Edith Nakalema, bringing together representatives from Agri and Farm Science – Avani Smarts Farm, the Ministry of Works and Transport, the Ministry of Agriculture, Animal Industry and Fisheries (MAAIF), the Uganda Free Zones and Export Promotions Authority (UFZEPA), and other government agencies.

The discussions focused on unlocking investment opportunities across key sectors expected to drive Uganda’s economic transformation, including agro-processing, value addition, electric mobility and clean technologies.

Speaking during the meeting, Thatcher M. Nakimuli, Principal Programme Officer at the Secretariat for Science, Technology and Innovation (STI), said Uganda’s National E-Mobility Strategy is creating new opportunities for investors through local manufacturing, skills development, battery assembly, charging infrastructure and innovation.

She noted that Uganda’s electric mobility ambitions are backed by measurable targets, with more than 42,000 electric vehicles already operating on the country’s roads.

The strategy also envisions an annual production capacity of 2,500 electric buses, the rollout of more than 200 public electric vehicle charging stations by 2030, and the local manufacture of 100,000 electric vehicles by 2040.

The ambitious roadmap is expected to strengthen domestic manufacturing, reduce transport emissions, create skilled jobs and position Uganda as a regional centre for green transport technologies.

Officials said the country’s industrialisation agenda extends beyond vehicle production to include opportunities across the electric mobility value chain, such as battery manufacturing, component assembly, charging infrastructure, research and development, and workforce training.

Winston Katushabe, Commissioner for Transport Regulation and Safety and Chief Licensing Officer at the Ministry of Works and Transport, said government is creating an enabling environment to accelerate electric vehicle adoption through supportive regulations, strategic partnerships and investment in charging infrastructure.

He said investors are entering a sector that is already supported by government policy and long-term development planning.

“Investors are coming to add value to a strategy already backed by Government policy, the National Development Plan IV, and a clear roadmap to sustainable transport,” Katushabe said.

Beyond transport, officials said integrating electric mobility with agro-processing and value addition presents significant opportunities to lower production costs, improve logistics and support climate-smart industrial development.

The engagement also underscored the role of the State House Investors Protection Unit in coordinating government agencies to facilitate investment, address regulatory bottlenecks and enhance investor confidence.

Uganda has increasingly positioned green industrialisation as a pillar of its economic development strategy, leveraging its renewable energy potential, growing manufacturing base and favourable investment climate to attract domestic and foreign capital.

With government agencies aligning policies on transport, agriculture, science and technology, officials say the country is laying the foundation for a competitive green economy capable of creating employment, boosting exports and driving sustainable economic growth.