- Uganda launches last mile connectivity project
- UMEME to connect 87,500 rural households
- AfDB and other partners to finance the project
The Ugandan Government has launched the last mile connectivity component of the Rural Electricity Access Project in Iganga, in the eastern part of Luuka District. The project, financed by the African Development Bank (AfDB) and other partners, will connect at least 87,500 households to affordable electricity through Uganda’s main power distribution company, UMEME Limited.
The project’s objective is to provide reliable and affordable electricity to rural households, public institutions, and small and medium enterprises. The project will increase electricity access by 60% and is expected to be completed by December 2022. A recent household survey by the Uganda Bureau of Statistics indicates that the national electricity access rate has increased to 57%, comprising 19% and 38% on-grid and off-grid connections, respectively.
Speaking at the project’s launch, the Ugandan Minister of Energy and Mineral Development, Ruth Nankabirwa, thanked the AfDB and other partners for facilitating the government’s efforts to extend electricity to rural communities.