The Government of Uganda is rolling out new digital enforcement tools to tackle persistent licence evasion among fuel station operators—a move that reflects a firmer commitment to fuel quality compliance and closing regulatory loopholes.
The Ministry of Energy and Mineral Development (MEMD), in collaboration with the Uganda National Bureau of Standards (UNBS), has announced the introduction of a GPS-based tracking system aimed at improving accountability throughout the fuel distribution chain. The initiative was unveiled during a Fuel Marking and Quality Monitoring awareness workshop in the Greater Masaka region.
Mr. Peter Kitimbo, Fuel Marking and Quality Monitoring Supervisor at MEMD, noted that some non-compliant fuel stations have been dodging penalties by discreetly transferring ownership before their licences can be revoked.
“When a fuel station is found to be non-compliant, it goes through four stages of penalization. However, before the final stage—licence revocation—ownership is often transferred without notifying MEMD,” Mr. Kitimbo explained.
To address this issue, the government will assign digital stickers with unique identifiers and GPS coordinates to every fuel station. These identifiers will be linked to each station’s compliance history, making it impossible for new owners to escape inherited penalties.
“With this technology, we can accurately identify fuel station ownership. Under the new system, any new owner will assume responsibility for the station’s previous non-compliance penalties,” Mr. Kitimbo added.
During the workshop, participants raised concerns about unregulated single-pump operators, especially in remote areas where formal stations are limited but fuel demand remains high.
“We see standards applied to retail stations, yet many single pumps off the main roads do not meet these standards. Who regulates them?” asked Mr. Tonny Odek, one of the attendees.
In response, Rev. Justas Frank Tukwasibwe, Commissioner for Petroleum Supply at MEMD, acknowledged the regulatory challenge.
“We must recognize where we are now. We’ve moved from fuel shortages to having many operators. However, in villages where oil companies haven’t reached, single pumps dominate. This is an issue for Parliament to address through legislation targeting these informal fuel points,” he said.
MEMD and UNBS urged consumers to buy fuel only from stations that display the UNBS compliance sticker, which indicates adherence to national fuel quality standards.
Consumers were also encouraged to report any malpractices using UNBS toll-free numbers (0800133133 / 0800233233) or the WhatsApp line (0713227580).
“Consumers must remain vigilant to avoid being cheated. Stations with the UNBS sticker have been tested and approved. That’s where the guarantee of quality lies,” Mr. Kitimbo emphasized.
The Greater Masaka workshop is part of a broader public sensitization campaign targeting towns such as Buwama, Lukaya, Matete, Sembabule, Rushere, Lyantonde, and Masaka.
The Fuel Marking and Quality Monitoring Programme—spearheaded by MEMD and implemented by UNBS—seeks to ensure full traceability and oversight of petroleum products from importation to retail.
This digital overhaul is expected to reduce cases of fuel adulteration, tax evasion, and consumer exploitation, while also improving revenue collection and public trust in fuel quality.