In the 1980s, charcoal and firewood met more than 95% of Uganda’s total
energy needs.  Only 3% of commercial
energy was provided by electricity on a grid.

The government decision to expedite
creation of domestic petroleum capacity coupled with the discovery of large
petroleum reserves holds the promise of a significant change in Uganda’s status
as an energy-importing country.

Oil in Uganda

With the discovery of oil in Uganda pressure has mounted on political leaders as citizens and human rights organizations have cautioned the government to ensure that every Ugandan benefits from the oil. This begs the question: Will oil in Uganda turnout to be a blessing or curse? For example, the road network to Hoima district, where the oil was discovered, is of first class quality. Will the rest of the country benefit?

Still, it has been noted that
this huge energy resourcefulness is not commensurate with the level of its
contribution to national transformation yet.