Over the past two decades, Uganda’s National Water and Sewerage Corporation (NWSC) has grown into a leading reference point for water utilities across Africa and beyond. Through targeted knowledge-sharing, capacity development, and technical support, NWSC has steadily expanded its regional and international footprint, positioning itself as more than a national service provider.
Much of this outreach has been anchored by the External Services Unit (ESU), established in 2005 to formally package and export NWSC’s institutional experience. Since then, ESU has delivered advisory services and training in utility management, performance planning, billing, customer engagement, GIS, and water quality monitoring. By 2022, ESU had partnered with over 82 institutions, supported more than 35 utilities across Africa, Asia, and the Caribbean, and generated revenues exceeding UGX 46 billion.
Home to the ESU, NWSC’s International Resource Centre (IREC), set up in Bugolobi in 1987, has evolved into a regional training hub. It now anchors an expanding network of training centres across Uganda and includes a digital learning platform that allows utilities in remote or low-resource areas to access online programs. In February 2025, NWSC took another step forward with the launch of the African Water and Sanitation Academy (AWASA), in partnership with the African Water Association (AfWA), with the aim of equipping utility managers across the continent with skills to manage increasingly complex water and sanitation challenges.
NWSC’s influence is also evident in its contributions to regional and global networks. Through platforms like AfWASA and the Global Water Operators’ Partnerships Alliance (GWOPA), the utility continues to share proven approaches in reducing non-revenue water, improving customer service, and implementing performance-based management systems, strategies that helped transform NWSC from a struggling local utility into a respected African leader.
This impact is far from theoretical, encompassing hands-on technical assistance to utilities in Nigeria, Kenya, Tanzania, Sierra Leone, Bangladesh, and several Caribbean nations. Whether through short-term advisory missions or longer-term institutional support, these engagements reflect the growing demand for NWSC’s model of utility transformation.
Simply put, NWSC has transitioned from serving Ugandan towns to shaping the future of water utilities across Africa and beyond by formalising its expertise into structured service offerings, investing in modern training infrastructure, and actively contributing to sector-wide reform initiatives. It is a catalyst for capability!
