energy 10 May 2026 Daily Monitor (Uganda)
Uganda Ranked Second Most Promising Solar Market in Africa
A recent report by the International Solar Alliance (ISA) has placed Uganda as the second most promising solar market on the African continent, following Burkina Faso. Ethiopia secured the third position in the assessment of solar energy potential and investment attractiveness. Source: https://www.monitor.co.ug/uganda/news/national/uganda-is-second-most-promising-solar-market-in-africa-5452154
Uganda has been recognized as the second most promising market for solar energy development in Africa, according to the latest insights from the International Solar Alliance (ISA).
The ISA’s April 2026 factsheets highlight Uganda’s significant potential for solar power adoption, ranking it just behind Burkina Faso. Ethiopia followed in third place, indicating a growing interest and opportunity in solar energy across East Africa.
The report analyzes the continent’s evolving energy landscape, identifying key trends, challenges, and opportunities for scaling solar energy. It aims to provide policymakers and investors with a clear understanding of how solar adoption can enhance energy security, expand electricity access, and foster socio-economic growth.
While Uganda shows strong overall promise, the Democratic Republic of Congo, Ethiopia, and Tanzania lead in specific areas such as on-grid and mini-grid expansion potential. Nigeria is noted for its substantial on-grid and mini-grid potential, while South Africa emerges as the frontrunner for e-mobility potential.
Uganda’s Minister of State for Energy, Mr. Okaasai Sidronius Opolot, emphasized the country’s “deliberate” and “forward-looking” partnership with the ISA. This collaboration focuses on critical areas including capacity building, developing mini-grid frameworks, solar resource mapping, advancing e-mobility, establishing a Solar National Support Unit, and managing solar waste.
This development coincides with the launch of Uganda’s Solar Technology Application Resource Centre (STAR-C) at Busitema University. The center is poised to train skilled technicians and engineers, support research in solar technologies, and serve as a regional hub for clean energy solutions.
The ISA, a global alliance established in 2015 by India and France, works to promote solar energy deployment in sun-rich countries, thereby increasing energy access and security while combating climate change. The alliance notes that Africa, despite possessing 60% of the world’s solar radiation data, receives less than 2% of global clean technology investments.
ISA Director General, Mr. Ashish Khanna, pointed out the immense potential for solar pumps to boost agricultural incomes in countries like Uganda, where agriculture is a primary livelihood for a significant portion of the population. He highlighted the development of an Africa solar facility to support investments in decentralized renewable energy, including agriculture bonds, which Uganda can leverage with the right policies and financial backing.