Uganda Strengthens Fight Against Fuel Fraud with New Mobile Labs from SICPA
The Ministry of Energy and Mineral Development (MEMD) in Uganda has reinforced its efforts to combat widespread fuel fraud, officially receiving two advanced mobile laboratory units from its technical partner, SICPA Uganda.
The handover, which took place in Kampala on October 30, 2025, increases the national fleet of these vital enforcement vehicles to ten, significantly enhancing the government’s ability to monitor and regulate the petroleum supply chain.
These specialized mobile labs are crucial to the government’s ongoing initiative to improve fuel quality monitoring and enforcement across the country, ensuring that all fuel sold in Uganda meets required quality and tax standards. This initiative is part of the Fuel Marking and Quality Monitoring Programme (FQMP), a long-running project aimed at tightly controlling the quality of petroleum products throughout Uganda’s supply network.
The FQMP was established to combat the damaging practices of fuel adulteration and smuggling, which not only deprive the government of important tax revenue but also expose consumers to substandard products that can harm vehicles. Over the years, the programme has become a cornerstone of Uganda’s petroleum sector, contributing to improved revenue collection, greater market transparency, and enhanced stability within the energy market.
The technology behind this system is the result of a close partnership. SICPA Uganda provides the unique chemical markers and analytical equipment, working under the direction of the Ministry of Energy and in close collaboration with the Uganda National Bureau of Standards (UNBS). This partnership targets two major issues: tax evasion and fuel adulteration, ensuring all fuel sold in Uganda complies with national quality standards.
At the formal handover ceremony, Ms. Suzan Mweheire Kitariko, General Manager of SICPA Uganda, reaffirmed her company’s role in the public-private effort: “We are proud to work with the Ministry of Energy to strengthen fuel quality monitoring across Uganda.”
The addition of the new mobile laboratories was met with enthusiasm from the officials managing the FQMP, who highlighted the strategic importance of the expansion. Mr. Steven Barisigara, Project Coordinator of the FQMP, and Mr. Peter Kitimbo, UNBS FQMP Field Supervisor, both emphasized how the new mobile labs will enhance the program’s effectiveness.
Mr. Kitimbo explained the significance of the fuel marking programme: “It allows us to monitor fuel quality across the entire supply chain, ensuring consumers receive products that meet the standards and preventing adulteration.” He also pointed out the financial benefits, noting, “The system has strengthened the government’s fiscal position by reducing opportunities for tax fraud.”
The true impact of these new mobile labs lies in their ability to extend coverage and speed up analysis. Equipped with portable, fully automated analyzers, these labs enable a single technician to conduct detailed fuel analyses quickly and accurately in real time.
This capacity for immediate testing is essential for maintaining compliance across the varied and complex supply logistics. These mobile labs conduct rapid spot sampling and fuel quality tests at retail stations throughout the country and on high-capacity trucks in transit, ensuring a continuous, unpredictable regulatory presence along the entire supply chain.
Mr. Barisigara stressed the importance of increasing the Ministry’s on-the-ground presence: “With these additional mobile labs, we can expand coverage across the country, strengthening our ability to monitor fuel quality nationwide.”
The expansion of the mobile lab fleet reflects a strong government commitment to creating a nearly impenetrable barrier against illicit fuel trade. By increasing the likelihood of detecting smugglers and adulterers, the policy strengthens its deterrent effect.
Ultimately, the effectiveness of the FQMP depends on a combination of cutting-edge technology and decentralized mobile enforcement. The latest addition of mobile labs underscores SICPA Uganda’s continued partnership with the government in safeguarding fuel quality, improving revenue collection, and promoting fairness and transparency in Uganda’s energy sector.
This technological upgrade represents a strategic investment in economic integrity, empowering the government to more effectively protect this vital national resource and defend its financial interests against transnational crime.