Launch of the Clean Cooking Trust Fund
5th February 2025, Kampala Uganda – Stakeholders unite to accelerate access to electric cooking through innovative financing on
Introduction
Kampala, Uganda – The Clean Cooking Unit (CCU) under the Ministry of Energy and Mineral Development (MEMD), in partnership with Equity Bank Uganda Ltd, with support from MECS and FCDO convened a stakeholder workshop to launch and operationalise the Clean Cooking Trust Fund. The event marked a significant milestone in Uganda’s transition to clean and modern cooking solutions, bringing together government institutions, financial actors, development partners, private sector players, civil society, and the media.
The workshop focused on introducing the Trust Fund as a catalytic financing mechanism aimed at addressing barriers towards access to affordable capital and strengthening the electric cooking ecosystem in Uganda.
Event Highlights
The workshop featured a dynamic and interactive programme, including:
- Opening remarks by the Minister of State for Energy, Hon. Sidronius Okaasai Opolot, who emphasised the importance of multi-stakeholder collaboration in delivering impactful energy solutions
- Key presentations on Uganda’s clean cooking landscape and the national electric cooking strategy by the CCU.
- Presentation of the Clean Cooking Trust Fund by Equity Bank Uganda Ltd, outlining its structure and financing modalities
- Plenary discussions and Q&A sessions, where stakeholders provided feedback on key design elements
“Clean cooking is not just an energy issue—it is central to health, environmental protection, and economic transformation,” stakeholders noted throughout the discussions.
Key Outcomes
The workshop resulted in several important outcomes:
- Launch and operationalisation of the Clean Cooking Trust Fund, designed to provide short-term concessional financing to clean cooking enterprises.
- Stakeholder validation of the Fund design, including eligibility criteria, financing terms, and operational processes
- Strengthened partnerships between Government, financial institutions, and private sector actors
- Actionable recommendations, including:
- Strengthening engagement with tax authorities to address sector-specific challenges.
- Expanding the Fund over time to support local manufacturing.
- Institutionalising learning and feedback mechanisms within the Clean Cooking Unit.
The Trust Fund is expected to play a critical role in unlocking working capital for companies involved in the importation and distribution of electric cooking appliances.
Community and Private Sector Engagement
Private sector actors actively engaged in shaping the Fund through discussions on:
- Affordable interest rates;
- Standards compliance requirements through UNBS;
- Taxation challenges affecting clean cooking businesses;
- Practical considerations such as loan repayment timelines and collateral requirements.
Participants welcomed the largely non-collateralised nature of the facility and the flexibility offered during the pilot phase.
FCDO and Equity Bank reaffirmed their commitment to supporting inclusive and sustainable energy solutions, with a strong emphasis on keeping the private sector at the centre of delivery.
Reflections and Way Forward
In his opening remarks, Hon. Minister in charge of Energy, Sidronius Okaasai Opolot underscored the need for evidence-based implementation, continuous learning, and private sector-driven innovation to achieve Uganda’s clean cooking targets.
The workshop highlighted that achieving universal access to clean cooking by 2040 will require:
- Affordable technologies
- Strong supply chains
- Innovative financing mechanisms such as the Trust Fund
“We must work collectively to deliver clean cooking solutions that are inclusive, scalable, and sustainable,” Hon. Okaasai.
As implementation begins, the Clean Cooking Trust Fund is expected to serve both as a financing tool and a learning platform to inform future policy and market development.
Contact
+256414311232/ccu@energy.go.ug