In a bid to strengthen financial resilience and operational efficiency in the Water and Sanitation sector, Uganda has taken a decisive step forward. Forty utility managers and government officials from across the country have completed a specialised creditworthiness training course, facilitated by WSUP Advisory under the auspices of the World Bank Group.
The initiative brought together representatives from all six regional Umbrella Authorities —Central, East, Karamoja, North, Mid-West, and Southwest—as well as officials from the Ministry of Water and Environment. The online course aimed to bridge the gap between the delivery of affordable and reliable services, sound investment planning and service expansion, and sustainable financing.
Structured as a guided cohort experience, the course incorporated expert facilitation and real-world case studies to ensure practical applicability. By the end of the program, participants were equipped with both the knowledge and tools to pursue alternative financing pathways, while also enhancing internal management systems through creditworthiness assessments.
Two overarching outcomes defined the course: first, enabling the Ministry and its regional umbrellas to better understand and access commercial finance; second, using creditworthiness as a lens for self-assessment to identify and act on areas requiring improvement.
At the completion ceremony held in Kampala, each Umbrella Authority presented an actionable roadmap. Common priorities included curbing non-revenue water losses, improving energy efficiency, and enhancing billing and revenue collection systems. A select group of participants has since travelled to Kenya to observe peer utilities and the regulator, refine their strategies, and accelerate implementation of their creditworthiness action plans.
The Ministry has pledged continued support through the Support to Utility Management Division, aligning the newly acquired knowledge with policy commitments. As Uganda’s utilities strive to improve performance and attract commercial investment, the emphasis is now on execution—translating plans into measurable impact across the country’s water and sanitation landscape.
This is in response to the declining traditional funding sources to the sector, such as government disbursements and transfers from Development Partners, who do not match the ever-increasing demand for water and sanitation services.