Uganda has achieved a major breakthrough in electric mobility, building the capacity to produce 10,000 electric vehicles annually and establishing 260 charging and battery swapping stations across the country. This progress is documented in the E-Mobility Outlook Report 2024, which also highlights more than $160 million mobilized in e-mobility investments, marking a significant stride toward industrial transformation and environmental sustainability.
Speaking at the launch of the National E-Mobility Expo 2025, slated for September 18–19 at the Kiira Vehicle Plant in Jinja, Paul Musasizi, Chief Executive Officer of Kiira Motors Corporation, said Uganda is no longer just a participant but a potential continental leader in e-mobility solutions.
“These are not just milestones; they are pillars of sovereignty, innovation, and resilience,” Musasizi said, emphasizing that Uganda’s edge lies in building homegrown solutions tailored to its terrain, economic needs, and environmental context. He added that the locally manufactured vehicles are not only cost-effective but also sustainable and efficient, offering reduced transport costs and cleaner air.
From only 13 electric two-wheelers in 2019 to nearly 2,800 in 2024, Uganda has rapidly expanded its electric fleet. Local content participation has surged to 40%, with critical components like battery packs and charging infrastructure increasingly manufactured within the country. According to Musasizi, this shift is fueling industrial growth, skills development, and energy security.
He called for greater collaboration between the public and private sectors, pointing to the E-Bus Xpress pilot in Jinja as a model for inclusive development and green innovation. “It’s a blueprint for how e-mobility can decarbonise cities, empower local talent, and drive economic transformation,” he said.
The upcoming Expo is expected to draw policymakers, investors, entrepreneurs, and environmental experts to showcase electric bicycles, motorcycles, tricycles, cars, buses, and other innovations. Organizers anticipate over $800 million in private sector commitments over the next five years.
Minister for Science, Technology and Innovation, Dr. Monica Musenero Masanza, launched the Expo with a strong message: Uganda is now prepared to lead Africa into a new industrial era rooted in science, innovation, and climate resilience. She stressed that the continent missed out on the first three industrial revolutions due to exclusion and lack of access—not a lack of intelligence. Today, she said, Uganda is seizing the opportunity.
“Over the last four years, Uganda has developed the National Science Technology and Innovation Strategy to position the tsunamic power of STI at the center of Uganda’s transformation agenda,” Musenero noted. The government is now implementing a ten-fold growth strategy aimed at propelling Uganda towards a $550 billion economy.
Set under the theme “Powering Innovation, Accelerating Industrialisation, and Shaping Africa’s Green Future,” the Expo will be a platform for innovation and collaboration, drawing citizens, engineers, financial institutions, development partners, and policymakers into a collective vision of sustainable mobility.
Guillaume Chartrain, Deputy Head of Delegation of the European Union to Uganda, also urged citizens to embrace cycling, both for their health and as a cleaner mobility alternative to fuel-powered vehicles.
With strong momentum and growing global interest, the National E-Mobility Expo 2025 promises to be a pivotal moment in Uganda’s journey to becoming a green industrial powerhouse.
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