Kampala, Uganda | JULIUS BUSINGE | The Uganda government has signalled plans to accelerate the adoption of electric motorcycles across public institutions following a high-level visit to the Spiro electric mobility production facility in Namanve Industrial Park.
The inspection, led by Robinah Nabbanja early this week, the Prime Minister of Uganda, highlighted the government’s growing commitment to electric mobility as part of efforts to reduce transport emissions, strengthen local manufacturing, and create jobs.
Nabbanja, accompanied by the Minister for Science, Technology and Innovation, Monica Musenero, toured the plant to assess the progress of operations, investment commitments, and the company’s contribution to the country’s national development agenda.
During the visit, the Prime Minister praised the company for positioning Uganda as a potential regional hub for electric mobility solutions in Africa.
“The government appreciates the massive investment that Spiro has made in Uganda. Such initiatives strengthen our commitment to innovation, job creation and environmental sustainability,” Nabbanja said.
She also revealed that President Yoweri Museveni has encouraged government ministries, departments and agencies to explore adopting Spiro’s electric mobility solutions in their operations. The move is intended to support the country’s transition toward cleaner and more sustainable transport systems.
Supporting e-mobility transition
The initiative aligns with Uganda’s National E-Mobility Strategy adopted in 2023, which prioritises local manufacturing, expansion of charging infrastructure, and development of a skilled workforce to support the shift to electric transport.
Nabbanja noted that Spiro has fulfilled its investment commitments within 18 months, with tangible results already visible in employment creation and skills development.
Currently, more than 4,000 young Ugandans are engaged in the company’s electric mobility ecosystem, many of them trained in assembling, repairing and maintaining electric motorcycles.
Musenero emphasised that science and technology remain central to Uganda’s economic transformation and industrialisation agenda.
“The Ministry of Science, Technology and Innovation remains committed to supporting this industrialisation and wealth-creation initiative. We will continue to ensure a conducive policy environment that enables Spiro to grow and contribute to Uganda’s economic transformation,” she said.
Uganda spent more than $822 million on vehicle imports in the 2024/2025 financial year, a trend that continues to drain foreign exchange and worsen urban pollution.
Nearly 787,000 vehicles are imported annually, generating an estimated 1.7 million tonnes of carbon dioxide emissions each year. When fuel imports are included, the total economic cost exceeds $1.2 billion annually.
The deployment of 50,000 electric motorcycles by June 2026 is expected to reduce carbon emissions by about 175,000 tonnes, while also lowering fuel costs for riders and improving urban air quality.
Expansion plans
Speaking during the visit, Spiro Uganda Deputy Country Head Bruce Mucunguzi said the company is expanding its battery-swapping network to support the rapid rollout of electric motorcycles.
The company plans to deploy 1,250 additional battery swap stations by June, increasing the network to 2,500 stations by the end of the year. The expanded infrastructure will support the rollout of an additional 50,000 electric motorcycles by the end of 2026.
The Namanve production facility has the capacity to assemble at least 450 motorcycles per day, underscoring the growing potential of Uganda’s manufacturing sector.
Under the national e-mobility roadmap, Uganda aims to produce up to 500,000 electric mobility units annually by 2030, including motorcycles, buses, sport utility vehicles and other transport solutions.
Government officials say partnerships with private investors such as Spiro will be critical in achieving these ambitions while strengthening Uganda’s position as a regional centre for electric mobility innovation.
