Uganda Airlines launches carbon-offset scheme ahead of historic return to London Gatwick

April 17, 2025 in Business, Companies, The Business Interview, Transport by Editor

Uganda Airlines has launched its carbon-offset scheme – the Victoria Nile Carbon Initiative VNCI – through which it hopes to enlist its passengers to support sustainability initiatives around the world’s largest tropical freshwater lake, while also shoring up its own green credentials.

Unveiling the scheme April 16 at the tail end of the Uganda-UK Trade & Business Forum in Kampala, one of several events the carrier has organised in the buildup to its inaugural flight to London which starts May 18, chief executive Jenifer Bamuturaki said the VNCI was an opportunity for the “eco-conscious traveller” to offset their journey’s environmental footprint by making a financial contribution to support certified carbon reduction projects.

Subscribing passengers, as well as the airline will earn carbon credits that can be used to offset their emissions mitigation obligations. Lake Victoria, on whose northern shore Uganda Airlines base Entebbe sits, faces a deepening crisis with the water progressively turning green due untreated industrial and agricultural effluent, and catchment degradation.

“The Victoria Nile Carbon Initiative by Uganda Airlines lets passengers offset their flight’s environmental impact by supporting certified carbon reduction projects, such as reforestation, renewable energy, and energy efficiency. It aims to promote sustainability, empower eco-conscious travellers, and enhance the airline’s reputation as a responsible, innovative brand,” Bamuturaki explained.

Uganda Airlines non-stop service to London, which comes a decade after the last direct flight between Uganda and the UK is highly anticipated.

“We can connect those on the bustling streets of London, to the impenetrable forests of Bwindi as we foster stronger ties between our people, and our cultures,” said Lisa Chesney, British High Commissioner to Uganda, adding that the direct flights would streamline cargo transport, making it easier and faster for fresh Ugandan products such as fish, coffee, fruits and vegetables to reach the UK market in the shortest time possible.

Calling it the “most generous trade preferences schemes in the world”, Chesney told the meeting about the opportunities open to Ugandan exporters, under the UK’s Developing Countries Trading Scheme, which provides tariff-free access for over 95pc of all goods originating from Uganda to the UK.

Although heavily slanted in the UK’s favour, Uganda-UK trade was worth GBP 556 million in 2023. Uganda exported mostly agricultural produce such as coffee, bananas, vegetables, as well as minerals.

Delivering a keynote to the event, Ramathan Ggoobi the permanent secretary and Secretary to the Treasury in the ministry of finance, said the London route, connecting Uganda to key tourist markets in Europe and global financial centres, would be instrumental in supporting realisation of the Ten-fold Strategy – a daring bid to expand the value of the country’s aggregate output from the present USD 50 billion, to USD500 billion in the next 15 years to 2040.

According to Ggoobi, the London route would see Uganda Airlines play its intended role of adding velocity to economic expansion by “creating a direct connection between Uganda and its key tourist source markets, create a faster route for horticulture exports and integrate Uganda better into global value chains.”

Ggoobi said an improved logistics system, including adequate airlinks were critical to the further growth of Uganda’s trade, whose merchandise exports had reached the unprecedented value of USD 9 billion during the 12 months to February 2025.

Bamuturaki says the service, which will initially operate 4 times, would add 1032 seats and 72 tons of cargo capacity in each direction weekly.

“We are confident that our cargo capacity on the A330-800neo and our plans to enhance our cargo operations capacity will support the rapid growth of Ugandan exports to the UK,” said Bamuturaki, adding: “This route elevates Uganda Airlines’ international profile and strategically positions us to tap deeper into the global aviation market. The route’s success will boost our revenues and support further expansion and operational sustainability.”

Uganda Airlines resumes flights to London next month, a route it last operated in the  early 1990’s and one which has been vacant since British airways culled its 3x weekly service in 2015.