Pioneering Ituka solar project begins supplying energy in North-Western Uganda
Kampala, Uganda – 23 October 2026 – AMEA Power, one of the fastest-growing renewable energy companies in Africa and the Middle East, has commenced commercial operations at its 24 MWp (20 MW) Ituka solar photovoltaic plant in the Madi Okollo District of north-western Uganda. The project was financed through a USD 18 million senior secured loan from the Emerging Africa & Asia Infrastructure Fund (EAAIF), a Private Infrastructure Development Group (PIDG) company managed by Ninety One. The plant has successfully activated its 25 MVA 132/33kV substation, delivering clean power directly into Uganda’s national grid.
As the one of the first utility-scale grid-connected solar PV facility in West Nile, the plant provides up to 390,000 people with affordable, reliable energy. It helps address critical power shortages, enabling communities, public institutions, and commercial enterprises to overcome decades of chronic load shedding and blackouts. Ituka’s energy output is expected to help reduce power purchase costs and deliver localised emissions reductions.
The project supports Uganda’s ambition to achieve universal energy access by 2040, up from approximately 50 per cent in 2022 and serving as actionable evidence of the country’s Energy Transition Plan (ETP). It also supports government ambitions to diversify the generation mix away from hydropower, which currently accounts for roughly 80 percent of grid capacity. As the country remains exposed to seasonal droughts and climate risks, Ituka’s solar generation profile will help balance the hydro seasonality, providing energy security, daytime grid stability, and a foundation for long-term industrialisation in North-Western Uganda.
The project reinforces EAAIF’s commitment to climate finance in emerging markets. As the Fund’s 12th renewable energy project in Uganda, it also supports PIDG’s objective of mobilising private capital for infrastructure across Africa and Asia. It further accelerates Uganda’s energy transition and cements Ituka as an anchor for the country’s long-term energy security.
Aqueel Bohra, Chief Investment Officer at AMEA Power, said: “AMEA Power is proud to have delivered this project as our first operational asset in East Africa. As the project enters commercial operations, it is set to transform the region by strengthening grid reliability with clean energy, relieving power deficits, and laying the groundwork for sustainable economic development.”
Martijn Proos, Co-Head of Emerging Market Alternative Credit at Ninety One, the fund manager of EAAIF, commented: “Bringing the Ituka solar plant online marks an important step in expanding access to reliable electricity in Uganda’s historically underserved West Nile region. The project demonstrates EAAIF’s role as a pathfinder investor financing infrastructure in markets where the need for investment is significant. The electricity now flowing into the national grid represents a critical step towards stimulating economic activity across the West Nile region and addressing longstanding energy shortages.”