What is the name of your organization?
Wanyama Autosafety Initiatives
What is the name of your solution?
Autosafety Uganda
Provide a one-line summary or tagline for your solution.
Autosafety Uganda - Tackling Africa's road transport emissions from the source
In what city, town, or region is your solution team headquartered?
Kampala, Uganda
In what country is your solution team headquartered?
Uganda
What type of organization is your solution team?
Nonprofit
Film your elevator pitch.
What specific problem are you solving?
Autosafety Uganda addresses the critical issue of road transport-induced pollution in Africa, where aging, poorly maintained vehicles contribute significantly to climate change and respiratory illnesses. In Uganda, over 90% of vehicles are used imports, with many lacking any emission controls. They are further subjected to underdeveloped road infrastructure and shoddy maintenance where the vast majority of mechanics tending to them lack appropriate skills & tools; rendering them environmental hazards due to high levels of CO₂, black carbon, CO and particulate matter, disproportionately affecting children and other vulnerable groups in low-income communities.
Globally, the transport sector accounts for nearly 25% of energy-related CO₂ emissions, with 80% of this from road transport. In Africa, vehicle emissions are projected to triple by 2050 without intervention. Uganda’s urban centers mirror this trend, yet solutions remain scarce. Contributing factors under-regulation limited enforcement of vehicle emission standards, lack of data for informed policy, and a shortage of trained technicians capable of diagnosing and repairing emission-related issues.
Autosafety Uganda tackles these challenges by training local mechanics, retrofitting high-polluting vehicles to electric, and collecting emissions data to inform policy reform. Our work reduces carbon emissions, boosts green jobs, and empowers communities to take part in climate solutions
What is your solution?
Autosafety Uganda delivers a practical, community-driven solution to reduce road transport emissions and accelerate the transition to cleaner mobility. Our approach combines three interconnected components including mechanic training, electric vehicle (EV) retrofitting, and emissions data collection.
We train informal mechanics and equip them skills and basic tools for best practices around vehicular maintenance. The aim is to enhance and maintain the integrity of inbuilt emission controls.
The EV retrofits involve replacing internal combustion engines with locally adapted battery-electric drivetrains, reducing tailpipe emissions to zero. A proof of concept has been achieved and we are advancing towards the use of cost-effective, scalable EV conversion kits and partnering with local workshops to localize component manufacturing.
To guide smarter transport policies, we also collect and analyze real-time tailpipe emissions data from Uganda’s roads. This data feeds into national climate strategies and helps demonstrate the extent to which vehicles emit in Africa in contrast to manufacturer specified values and why we need an urgent shift to clean mobility as well as strategies that minimize damage from current fleets.
Our model not only cleans the environment, but also builds green jobs and empowers communities to lead climate action.
Who does your solution serve, and in what ways will the solution impact their lives?
Our solution directly serves the informal, underemployed mechanics, low-income vehicle owners, and vulnerable urban communities; especially children and women exposed to toxic vehicle emissions in Uganda’s urban areas.
The informal mechanics, particularly the youth without formal education, often struggle to find sustainable livelihoods. These form the backbone of Africa’s vehicle maintenance sector, are underserved by traditional training and lack access to clean technology. We empower them with knowledge and tools to offer modern, low-emission services; boosting their income while contributing to climate goals. We are now planning to incorporate EV retrofitting into forthcoming trainings; providing them with tools to access dignified, future-ready employment.
For vehicle owners, especially those in the informal sector who depend on older vehicles for work for instance taxi operators, retrofitting will offer them a cost-effective path to cleaner, more efficient mobility.
Urban communities; particularly schoolchildren, the elderly and roadside traders benefit from reduced air pollution and improved public health when vehicle emissions are reduced and auto-garage operations become sustainable.
The collected emissions data helps policy makers towards more refined, data-backed policy reforms. By aligning climate action with local economic empowerment, our solution addresses both environmental injustice and social inequality
