Electricity is more than just a wire; it is a vital connection that powers transformation, drives businesses, and brings hope to schools and communities across the country.
Like the propellers of a growing economy, electricity is fuelling change by lighting up homes, enterprises, and institutions. This year, the Government of Uganda, with support from the World Bank, is implementing the Electricity Access Scale-Up Project (EASP). The $638m (Shs 2.2 trillion) World Bank-funded programme is targeting over 1,000,000 new connections to reach more than 5 million Ugandans.
The project aims to expand access to affordable, reliable electricity for households, commercial enterprises, and public institutions. Since the project’s launch, over 100,000 households, businesses, schools, and other institutions have been connected to the national grid, breathing new life into communities and powering Uganda’s journey toward inclusive growth and development.
HOW TO APPLY FOR POWER UNDER THE PROJECT
According to Uganda Electricity Distribution Company Limited (UEDCL), anyone living 90 metres or less from a low-voltage pole is eligible to apply for and get a free power connection under the scheme.
Prior to application, a building must have been wired by a wireman certified by the Electricity Regulatory Authority (ERA). A digital wiring certificate will be sent to the registered mobile phone by the wireman.
The next step is to apply for a new power connection at https://selfservice. uedcl.co.ug/login.
Following registration and uploading the necessary paperwork, which includes a copy of their national identification card, a digital wiring certificate, and, if relevant, a sketch plan of the property and wayleave permission from the landowners whose land the line will pass through.
A tracking number and login credentials will be sent to the applicant via email or SMS for businesses. After that, applicants should use mobile money or one of UEDCL’s approved bank partners to pay Shs 23,600 for an inspection charge associated with work request number.
The applicant will be connected by the UEDCL staff once all prerequisites have been met. Several homesteads, businesses, schools and other teaching institutions have so far been connected to the national grid.
Connected customers shared their experiences before and after being connected to power. Florence Namaganda, a resident of Kisangani Village in Namasuba Kikajjo Zone, Masajja Division, is among the many Ugandans whose lives have been transformed by access to electricity.
She was officially connected to the national power grid in July 2025. Before that, her family of five relied on electricity tapped from a neighbour, for which they paid Shs 25,000 per month.
Her 14-year-old daughter, Sahuluwa Nanyonga, told a team of journalists that their journey started when they petitioned UMEME, the then electricity distribution company, for an extension of power to their community.
“We learnt about affordable electricity connections through a community awareness and mobilisation campaign. We were urged to pay Shs 23,600 for inspection and Shs 6,400 for pre-loaded units of electricity,” she explained.
Sahuluwa shared that since they were connected to the national grid, their daily lives have significantly improved. They now have access to reliable electricity, can charge their phones, and watch television, and the children can revise their schoolwork late into the night without worrying about power outages.
Before tapping power from their neighbour, the family mainly relied on solar energy. However, they expressed dissatisfaction with its quality and durability, as it could barely charge more than one phone and often failed to provide light past midnight.
“We are grateful to the government for this initiative. Now, with our own connection to the national grid, we can save on electricity costs. We used to pay Shs 25,000 monthly, but now we only pay about Shs 10,000,” she said.
SHARED METERS, HIGH BILLS
Ivan Turyahabwa, a shopkeeper and resident of Gangu C Village in Busabala Parish, Masajja Division, Makindye-Ssabagabo Municipality, Wakiso District, was also connected in August 2025. Previously, he shared a meter with several tenants, which made it impossible to track his actual power consumption.
“When you share a meter, you end up paying a lot. Someone might just use lights for a few hours, but as a shopkeeper, I need to keep my fridges running the whole day,” he said.
With a shared meter, he used to pay up to Shs 40,000 monthly. After getting his own connection, his bill dropped by half.
“Now we can monitor our power usage. We switch off unnecessary appliances and lights during the day. We only pay for what we actually use,” he added.
FROM DARKNESS TO LIGHT
Kisakye Proscovia, a resident of Makandwa Village in Kajjansi Town Council, Wakiso District, is another beneficiary of the project. Her household was connected in August 2025, after waiting for over a year.
Initially, the family was tapping power from a neighbour and paying Shs 15,000 per month for lighting, watching TV, and helping the children with homework. However, the connection was unstable due to multiple users on a single meter and inefficient energy use.
“It was always hard to get power, especially between 8 PM and 9 PM. We couldn’t even watch TV or get proper lighting because others were using heavy appliances like cookers,” she said. Before this, they used solar energy repossessed after they failed to keep up with payments.
BUSINESS GROWTH THROUGH POWER
Alex Tukamuhebwa, also from Makandwa Village, operates a barbershop. He was connected to the grid in July 2025, after two years of struggling with solar power.
“I used to serve about nine clients a day. After the electricity connection, that number increased to more than 15,” he said.
He also mentioned that poor solar capacity previously limited him to daytime operations. Now, he can serve customers even late at night. His monthly electricity bill is around Shs 30,000, which covers haircuts, lighting, and phone charging.
“Since the connection, my daily income has doubled from Shs 20,000 to Shs 40,000. I even added head massage services, which require boiling water— something I couldn’t do with solar,” he added.
BUSINESS REVIVED IN NANSANA AFTER NEW METER CONNECTIONS
Colleb Nyesiga, a resident of Nansana in Ocheng Zone, Nansana Municipality, also benefited from the new electricity connection initiative funded by the World Bank. He was connected in August 2025.
His three-storey building, which houses a hardware store, pharmacy, retail shop, timber store, and eight rental units, had been relying on a single meter, creating constant tension between tenants and the landlord.
“The single meter was always a source of disagreements. The tenants quarrelled almost daily for the last six months, and you’d often find the building in darkness because the shared meter had run out,” he explained.
Businesses, especially those relying on refrigeration to sell cold drinks, were severely affected.
“I am happy with the delivery and connection of the 12 new meters. Since then, business has been booming in the building,” Nyesiga added.
ELECTRICITY BRINGS NEW LIFE TO MPIGI DISTRICT
In Mpigi district, homes and businesses that once sat in darkness for decades are now glowing with opportunity. Thanks to the EASP, access to reliable electricity is breathing new life into the local economy sparking transformation, fueling hope, and revitalizing entire communities.
Residents are experiencing firsthand how electricity is improving livelihoods across the board from retail shops to poultry farms proving that energy access is not just about lighting homes, but about powering progress.
Electricity has become a true catalyst for economic empowerment in Mpigi: enhancing security, extending business hours, and reducing operational costs. So far, more than 1,200 homes and businesses in the district have been connected to the national power grid.
Yet, while this progress is significant, thousands of households and enterprises still await connection highlighting both the remarkable strides made and the ongoing challenges in Uganda’s journey toward universal electrification.
EMPOWERING HOUSEHOLDS IN MUKONO
Mary Nabulya, a resident of Lwanyonyi village, Nama sub-county, Mukono district, was connected last year after hearing about the subsidized electricity connections on a radio program.
Before the connection, her family spent Shs 1,000 every day just to charge their phones an expense that added up and strained their finances.
“With the connection, we now use an electric pressure cooker, boil water, and charge our phones at home. Electricity has greatly reduced our charcoal costs,”
WHAT TOP ENERGY MINISTRY OFFICIALS SAY ABOUT ELECTRICITY ACCESS SCALE-UP PROJECT
Eng Irene Batebe, the ministry of Energy and Mineral Development permanent secretary, notes electricity is a driver of social and economic transformation.
“Our goal under EASP is to make affordable power accessible to households, schools and businesses, so that no community is left behind in Uganda’s development journey,” she says.
“Electricity fuels both social and economic progress. Through EASP, we are making affordable power available to homes, schools, and businesses across Uganda.”
On his part, Eng Abdon Atwiine, the commissioner, Rural Electrification Department, points out that access to electricity is not just about switching on the lights, it is about giving families more time for education, creating safer homes, and helping small businesses grow.
“Through EASP, we will steadily extend access to more communities, especially those in rural and refugee-hosting areas. While we may not reach everyone at once, each new connection will move us closer to our vision of an inclusive and prosperous Uganda,” he says.
“Electricity is about safer homes, better learning time, and stronger small businesses. With EASP, we are steadily extending access to rural areas and refugee settlements, one connection at a time.”
