Primary energy use in Uganda
Uganda: Primary energy use was 31.86 terawatt-hours in 2024. ◆ Volatile
Primary energy use in Uganda, 1980–2024
Source: Energy Institute – Statistical Review of World Energy (2026); Smil (2017); U.S. Energy Information Administration (2026) – with major processing by Our World in Data. Measured in terawatt-hours.
Analysis
In 2024, primary energy use in Uganda stood at 31.86 terawatt-hours. That is the highest value across all 45 years on record.
The figure is up 2.2% on the previous year and up 41.7% over ten years.
Over the whole period, primary energy use in Uganda peaked at 31.86 terawatt-hours in 2024 and was at its lowest, 2.28 terawatt-hours, in 1981.
Uganda ranks 130th of 219 countries on this measure, in the middle of the range.
The series is highly variable year to year, so single readings are best treated with caution.
Primary energy use in Uganda, year by year
| Year | terawatt-hours | Change |
|---|---|---|
| 1980 | 3.39 terawatt-hours | — |
| 1981 | 2.28 terawatt-hours | -32.8% |
| 1982 | 2.65 terawatt-hours | +16.3% |
| 1983 | 2.54 terawatt-hours | -4.1% |
| 1984 | 2.71 terawatt-hours | +6.6% |
| 1985 | 2.9 terawatt-hours | +7.1% |
| 1986 | 3.07 terawatt-hours | +5.9% |
| 1987 | 2.77 terawatt-hours | -9.7% |
| 1988 | 4.03 terawatt-hours | +45.3% |
| 1989 | 3.81 terawatt-hours | -5.4% |
| 1990 | 4.15 terawatt-hours | +9.0% |
| 1991 | 4.46 terawatt-hours | +7.5% |
| 1992 | 4.86 terawatt-hours | +9.0% |
| 1993 | 4.96 terawatt-hours | +2.0% |
| 1994 | 5.11 terawatt-hours | +3.1% |
| 1995 | 5.09 terawatt-hours | -0.3% |
| 1996 | 5.24 terawatt-hours | +2.9% |
| 1997 | 5.48 terawatt-hours | +4.7% |
| 1998 | 6.02 terawatt-hours | +9.7% |
| 1999 | 6.02 terawatt-hours | +0.0% |
| 2000 | 7.27 terawatt-hours | +20.7% |
| 2001 | 7.42 terawatt-hours | +2.1% |
| 2002 | 7.52 terawatt-hours | +1.3% |
| 2003 | 7.96 terawatt-hours | +6.0% |
| 2004 | 8.5 terawatt-hours | +6.8% |
| 2005 | 10.23 terawatt-hours | +20.4% |
| 2006 | 11.17 terawatt-hours | +9.2% |
| 2007 | 13.49 terawatt-hours | +20.8% |
| 2008 | 13.79 terawatt-hours | +2.2% |
| 2009 | 14.64 terawatt-hours | +6.2% |
| 2010 | 16.68 terawatt-hours | +13.9% |
| 2011 | 17.55 terawatt-hours | +5.2% |
| 2012 | 17.94 terawatt-hours | +2.2% |
| 2013 | 19.12 terawatt-hours | +6.5% |
| 2014 | 22.49 terawatt-hours | +17.6% |
| 2015 | 22.98 terawatt-hours | +2.2% |
| 2016 | 23.94 terawatt-hours | +4.2% |
| 2017 | 25.92 terawatt-hours | +8.2% |
| 2018 | 27.91 terawatt-hours | +7.7% |
| 2019 | 28.52 terawatt-hours | +2.2% |
| 2020 | 27.29 terawatt-hours | -4.3% |
| 2021 | 30.12 terawatt-hours | +10.4% |
| 2022 | 31.38 terawatt-hours | +4.2% |
| 2023 | 31.17 terawatt-hours | -0.7% |
| 2024 | 31.86 terawatt-hours | +2.2% |
Uganda compared with similar countries
- Uganda's 31.86 terawatt-hours is above the median for low income countries, which is 13.82 terawatt-hours, 2.3× the median. (25 countries reporting)
- Uganda's 31.86 terawatt-hours is above the median for Sub-Saharan Africa, which is 20.78 terawatt-hours, 1.5× the median. (48 countries reporting)
Biggest year-on-year movements
Years where Primary energy use in Uganda changed far more than this series normally does. A large move can be a real event or a change in how the figure was measured — the source note below says who published it.
| Year | Change | From | To |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1988 | +45.3% | 2.77 terawatt-hours | 4.03 terawatt-hours |
| 1981 | -32.8% | 3.39 terawatt-hours | 2.28 terawatt-hours |
Averages by decade
| Decade | Average | Lowest | Highest | Years |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1980s | 3.01 terawatt-hours | 2.28 terawatt-hours | 4.03 terawatt-hours | 10 |
| 1990s | 5.14 terawatt-hours | 4.15 terawatt-hours | 6.02 terawatt-hours | 10 |
| 2000s | 10.2 terawatt-hours | 7.27 terawatt-hours | 14.64 terawatt-hours | 10 |
| 2010s | 22.31 terawatt-hours | 16.68 terawatt-hours | 28.52 terawatt-hours | 10 |
| 2020s | 30.36 terawatt-hours | 27.29 terawatt-hours | 31.86 terawatt-hours | 5 |
Countries ranked near Uganda
- 127 Papua New Guinea 32.75 terawatt-hours compare
- 128 Latvia 32.65 terawatt-hours compare
- 129 Cyprus 32.51 terawatt-hours compare
- 131 Benin 31.41 terawatt-hours compare
- 132 Equatorial Guinea 31.07 terawatt-hours compare
- 133 Netherlands Antilles 29.41 terawatt-hours compare
More energy & mining data for Uganda
- Fossil fuel consumption by fuel, per unit of GDP 0 terawatt-hours per US$ of GDP (2024)
- Primary energy use, annual growth rate 2.21 % change on previous year (2024)
- Coal consumption, per capita 0 terawatt-hours per person (2024)
- Coal consumption, per unit of GDP 0 terawatt-hours per US$ of GDP (2024)
- Primary energy use, per unit of GDP 0 terawatt-hours per US$ of GDP (2024)
- Primary energy use, per capita 0 terawatt-hours per person (2024)
- Coal production, per capita 0 terawatt-hours per person (2024)
- Coal production, per unit of GDP 0 terawatt-hours per US$ of GDP (2024)
- Fossil fuel consumption by fuel, per capita 0 terawatt-hours per person (2024)
- Fuel imports 15.7% (2024)
Frequently asked questions
- What is primary energy use in Uganda?
- Primary energy use in Uganda was 31.86 terawatt-hours in 2024, according to Energy Institute – Statistical Review of World Energy (2026); Smil (2017); U.S. Energy Information Administration (2026) – with major processing by Our World in Data.
- What is the highest primary energy use recorded in Uganda?
- The highest recorded value was 31.86 terawatt-hours in 2024.
- What is the lowest primary energy use recorded in Uganda?
- The lowest recorded value was 2.28 terawatt-hours in 1981.
- How does Uganda rank for primary energy use?
- Uganda ranks 130th out of 219 countries with data for 2024.
- Is primary energy use rising or falling in Uganda?
- Over the last ten years it is up 41.7%. The long-run trend across the full record is volatile.
- Where does this Uganda data come from?
- The figures come from Energy Institute – Statistical Review of World Energy (2026); Smil (2017); U.S. Energy Information Administration (2026) – with major processing by Our World in Data, published as part of Primary energy use. Statizoid updates them automatically from the source API.
Download this data
CSV · JSON — 45 observations, free to reuse under CC BY 4.0 (Our World in Data).
About this data
Measured in terawatt-hours of total energy supply.