economy 28 April 2026 Daily Monitor (Uganda)
Skyrocketing Fuel Costs Drive Ugandan Fishermen Away from Lakes
Soaring fuel prices across Uganda's lakes are forcing fishermen to park their boats and abandon their trade, as operational costs skyrocket to unsustainable levels. Communities face reduced fish supplies, higher prices, and disrupted transport, pushing many toward alternative livelihoods like farming. Source: https://www.monitor.co.ug/uganda/news/national/soaring-fuel-prices-force-ugandan-fishermen-to-abandon-lakes--5439188
Ugandan fishermen are increasingly ditching their boats due to skyrocketing fuel prices that have made fishing unprofitable on major lakes including Albert, George, Edward, Victoria, and Kyoga.
In remote areas like Ntoroko and Kagadi districts along Lake Albert, petrol now sells for Shs8,000 to Shs12,000 per litre, often transported in jerrycans from distant towns and resold at a premium. Fishermen like Martin Bwambale at Kanara landing site report daily fuel expenses of Shs80,000 for 10 litres, plus boat hire, exceeding meager catches amid declining fish stocks.
At Kasenyi on Lake George, Julius Asiimwe has sold his boat after costs hit Shs200,000 daily for larger engines. Many now fish only near shorelines with less fuel or have quit entirely, causing fish prices to rise from Shs8,000 to Shs10,000 per kilogramme.
Transport fares have doubled, with Lake Albert crossings jumping from Shs15,000 to Shs30,000, hitting traders, passengers, and even expectant mothers seeking healthcare. In Busoga’s Mayuge and Namayingo on Lake Victoria, acute shortages push prices to Shs8,000 per litre or higher for smuggled fuel, while islanders in Kalangala pay Shs9,000-Shs10,000, slashing passenger numbers.
On Lake Kyoga, fishers like Adam Omaido are switching to risky non-motorized canoes as motor fuel costs double. Leaders call for government intervention to regulate fish prices, currently fixed low at Shs10,000 per kg by factories, preventing cost recovery.
This crisis, compounded by fish scarcity, threatens livelihoods and local economies as many turn to farming.
Source: Daily Monitor (Uganda)