Uganda Poised to Become Regional SAF Pioneer Following Feasibility Study

December 2, 2025 at 06:46 AM•2 min read

Uganda demonstrates significant potential to produce sustainable aviation fuels (SAF) from waste, positioning it as a regional pioneer, a new feasibility

Key Points

1Uganda possesses the technical potential to produce 300-850 million litres of Sustainable Aviation Fuel (SAF) annually, primarily from agricultural waste and municipal solid waste.
2A feasibility study, supported by ICAO and the UK, identifies Uganda as a prospective regional pioneer for SAF production, aiming for first-generation output within this decade.
3The Uganda Civil Aviation Authority (UCAA) is committed to progressing to a business development study, leveraging SAF production to reduce costs for national carriers and meet global climate goals.
4Domestic SAF production is crucial for Uganda, as its national carrier already faces mandatory SAF uplift requirements on international routes, such as those to the UK.

Uganda has been identified as having substantial potential to produce sustainable aviation fuels (SAF), primarily utilizing waste biomass and agricultural residues. A comprehensive feasibility study, conducted under International Civil Aviation Organization (ICAO) guidelines with support from the United Kingdom's Department for Transport, revealed that Uganda could produce between 300 and 850 million litres of SAF annually. This positions the East African nation to transition from feasibility assessment to first-generation SAF production within the current decade, contingent on a robust policy framework, blended finance, and coordinated leadership.

The study highlighted Uganda's abundant biomass resources, including sugarcane, maize, and cassava residues, alongside increasing volumes of municipal solid waste from its growing urban centers. These resources provide a strong foundation for SAF deployment, offering a significant opportunity to decarbonize air transport via Entebbe International Airport and new domestic routes. The initiative aligns with Uganda's Vision 2040 and ICAO's global aspiration for net-zero carbon emissions by 2050, contributing to energy security, economic diversification, and climate-aligned growth in the region.

Uganda Civil Aviation Authority (UCAA) officials, including Deputy Director General Olive Birungi Lumonya, have expressed strong commitment to championing sustainability within the aviation sector. UCAA plans to proceed with a business development study, the next phase identified by ICAO, to translate this potential into viable SAF production plants. This move is expected to not only reduce operational costs for national carriers, which already face SAF uplift mandates in regions like Europe, but also create new economic opportunities and support national climate objectives. The Ministry of Energy and Mineral Development and the Uganda National Oil Company (UNOC) are slated to play pivotal roles in steering this national SAF program.