Kampala, Uganda – May 8, 2025
In a transformative step toward sustainable energy access, the African Development Bank Group has approved $8.79 million in financing for the Uganda Biogas and Electric Cooking Project (UBEP), a groundbreaking effort to tackle the country’s overreliance on biomass fuels and improve public health through cleaner cooking technologies.
Currently, 89 percent of Ugandans depend on charcoal and firewood for cooking — practices that have accelerated deforestation, degraded air quality, and contributed to a projected wood biomass deficit exceeding 100 million tons annually. UBEP seeks to reverse this trend with a bold, four-pronged plan to expand clean cooking access while promoting environmental conservation and social equity.
“This project is a major milestone to help reduce the estimated half a million early deaths of women and children across Africa annually due to pollution from open fires,” said Josephine Ngure, the Bank’s Uganda Country Manager.
A Four-Part Strategy to Drive Change
UBEP includes the construction of 47 institutional biogas plants across schools, markets, and farming communities, aiming to reduce their reliance on charcoal and firewood by up to 50 percent. Urban households will benefit from the distribution of approximately 77,000 affordable electric cooking appliances, encouraging the shift to modern eCooking solutions.
To support a viable market for these technologies, the project will establish standards and supply chains for eCooking devices, alongside repair and maintenance services. In parallel, a wide-reaching awareness campaign and capacity-building for small and medium enterprises (SMEs) and local technicians will help ensure the program’s sustainability.
The initiative is a cornerstone of Uganda’s ambition to reach 18 percent eCooking adoption by 2030, aligned with its Vision 2040, updated Nationally Determined Contributions (NDCs) under the Paris Agreement, and the Uganda Country Strategy Paper (2022–2026).
Powering Progress Amid Historic Energy Challenges
Uganda’s reliance on biomass dates back decades. In the 1980s, over 95 percent of energy needs were met through fuel wood and charcoal. Although electricity access has improved — rising from 20 percent in 2016 to around 28 percent in 2019 — clean cooking access remains critically low, with less than 5 percent of the population using clean cooking methods as of 2020.
Hydropower remains Uganda’s primary electricity source, with installed capacity increasing from 810 megawatts in 2015 to over 1,160 megawatts by 2019. However, access is uneven, with rural electrification lagging far behind urban areas. The Electricity Connection Policy introduced in 2018 has helped expand grid access through subsidized connections and low-cost wiring, yet much of the population continues to cook with polluting biomass fuels.
Broader Impacts: Environment, Health, and Gender
Beyond reducing emissions and preserving forests, UBEP is expected to significantly improve indoor air quality, helping mitigate respiratory illnesses caused by smoke inhalation. It also promotes gender equity by easing the domestic burden on women and girls, who often spend hours gathering firewood — time that can now be redirected toward education and income-generating activities.
The project is largely financed through the African Development Fund’s Climate Action Window (covering 64 percent of the cost), with additional contributions from the UK Foreign, Commonwealth and Development Office, and the Government of Uganda.
As Africa grapples with a continent-wide clean cooking crisis affecting nearly one billion people, UBEP sets a powerful example of integrated, climate-smart development — one that promises cleaner kitchens, healthier families, greener forests, and a stronger, more resilient Uganda.
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