KAMPALA, Uganda: MTN Uganda commissioned a state-of-the art solar power system at its headquarters in Kampala, stepping up efforts to reduce carbon emissions, improve energy efficiency and lower dependence on conventional power sources.
The installation, valued at more than $370,000, comprises 1,188 solar panels with an installed capacity of 490 kilowatts (kW). During peak sun hours, the system is expected to generate about 25% of the office’s electricity needs.
MTN Uganda Chief Executive Officer, Sylvia Mulinge, said the new investment unveiled during the MTN’s inaugural sustainability week, reflects the company’s strategy to align operational efficiency with environmental sustainability.
“MTN Uganda believes that everyone needs to enjoy the benefits of a modern, connected life. However, we are equally focused on building a business that is resilient, future-ready and responsible. This investment reflects our commitment to reducing our environmental footprint while continuing to deliver reliable and efficient services to our customers,” she said.
Mulinge added that sustainability is no longer a peripheral agenda but a core pillar of MTN’s business model, guiding how the company invests, innovates and operates.
This development is part of MTN Group’s “Project Zero” programme, launched in 2021, which aims to achieve net-zero emissions by 2040. The initiative aligns with the goals of the Paris Climate Agreement to limit global temperature rise to 1.5 degrees Celsius.
MTN Uganda has since reduced its greenhouse gas emissions by 43% from its 2021 baseline, driven by the adoption of cleaner energy sources and improved operational efficiencies. More than 90% of its network sites are now powered by clean energy, including hydroelectric power, solar energy and lithium-ion battery storage.
At the office level, the company has introduced a range of measures to reduce energy consumption and waste. These include replacing compact fluorescent lamps with energy-efficient LED lighting and promoting recycling and waste segregation among staff.
In 2022, the telecom firm recycled about one tonne of paper through Global Paper Industries in Mukono District, as part of broader efforts to cut waste and minimise environmental impact. It also operates largely paperless systems, with documents processed and signed digitally.
MTN Uganda has also expanded its sustainability efforts through its partnership with Kiira Motors Corporation, advancing clean mobility in both long-distance innovation and everyday application. As part of this collaboration, the company supported a 13,000-kilometre electric bus expedition across Africa to showcase the potential of electric transport at scale. Complementing this, the same partnership recently saw shareholders being transported to the Annual General Meeting using an electric bus, the Kayoola Coach, a deliberate effort to foster sustainability by demonstrating the practical, local adoption of cleaner mobility solutions.
The company executives said the solar project positions it to respond to rising energy demand and growing pressure on businesses to adopt sustainable practices, while managing costs and improving reliability.
Across Africa, companies are increasingly investing in renewable energy as they contend with high electricity costs, climate-related risks and tighter regulatory and investor expectations on environmental performance.
