Socioeconomic determinants of energy poverty at the household level
Energy poverty in Uganda remains widespread despite rising electricity access, with most households still relying on polluting fuels for cooking. This study maps energy poverty hotspots and finds that income, education, and household size are key drivers, requiring coordinated policy action.
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Rubatsimbira-Naijuka-Policy-Brief-March-2026.pdf
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- Energy poverty, understood as the inability to access sufficient, affordable, and clean energy for everyday household needs such as cooking and lighting, affects many households in Uganda and remains one of the most significant yet often underestimated barriers to the country's development.
- Electricity access alone does not capture the full extent of energy poverty. Despite a tripling of electricity access in Uganda since 2013, over 90% of households still rely on firewood and charcoal for cooking.
- This study identifies energy poverty hotspots across Uganda using a multidimensional index, uses the obtained index to carry out a national spatial hotspot analysis, and explores the household-level factors driving energy poverty vulnerability, based on a survey of 472 households.
- Energy poverty hotspots are concentrated in twelve districts across all four of Uganda's regions, including urban areas like Wakiso and Kampala, implying that energy poverty is not exclusively a rural problem.
- Low household income, large family size, and engagement in subsistence farming are the most significant drivers of energy poverty, while education, especially among women, reduces the vulnerability.
- The distribution of high-energy poverty vulnerability across twelve districts, together with evidence that it reflects a combination of income inadequacy, limited education, and supply-side constraints, suggests that addressing energy poverty requires coordinated action from multiple stakeholders.