Uganda's Minister of Energy and Mineral Development has warned investors against paying intermediaries who claim to arrange meetings with government officials, saying access to ministry services is free. Dr Monica Musenero Masanza made the warning at the closing ceremony of the Renewable Energy Conference 2026 at Serena Hotel in Kampala, revealing that some investors had been asked to pay Shs187,000 to secure meetings with ministry officials. She disclosed that certain individuals had established online platforms, including on LinkedIn, through which they claim to facilitate such meetings in exchange for payment.
Musenero said the fraudulent practice extends beyond just arranging meetings. She cautioned investors against paying intermediaries who claim that money is required to meet the Permanent Secretary, obtain signatures or have official documents processed. She urged anyone asked to pay for such services, including by ministry staff, to report the matter directly to her. The minister stressed that investors should engage directly with official government institutions rather than through unauthorised intermediaries.
The warning comes as Uganda seeks to attract private investment in renewable energy and electricity infrastructure to support industrialisation and economic growth. The government aims to increase its electricity generation capacity to approximately 15,420 megawatts by 2030 and 52,000 megawatts by 2040, requiring substantial investment in hydropower, solar, geothermal and nuclear energy, alongside stronger electricity transmission and distribution infrastructure. These targets support the government's ambition to transform Uganda into a US$500 billion economy by 2040 under the Ten-Fold Growth Strategy and the Fourth National Development Plan.
Musenero emphasised that expanding electricity generation must translate into reliable power for factories, agricultural processing facilities, mining operations, commercial enterprises, schools, hospitals and households to boost production and improve competitiveness. She noted that discussions at REC 2026 and the Uganda-European Union Business Forum had highlighted opportunities for investment partnerships, financing and technology transfer, but challenged stakeholders to move beyond expressions of interest to develop and implement projects backed by adequate financing. Uganda's energy sector requires greater participation from private investors and financial institutions to develop commercially viable projects.
The minister also identified clean cooking as a priority, noting that many households still depend on traditional biomass fuels, with implications for public health, the environment and household welfare. She called for affordable technologies, innovative financing mechanisms and increased private-sector participation to expand access to cleaner cooking solutions, particularly in rural communities. Musenero linked energy development to Uganda's oil, gas and mineral resources, saying progress on the Tilenga and Kingfisher oil projects and the East African Crude Oil Pipeline could support the establishment of industries that process locally available resources into higher-value products.