Wetlands

NEMA in collaboration with other Government Agencies to restore degraded wetlands to improve water filtration, increase biodiversity, and buffer against floods. Evictions, prosecution and fining of wetland degraders in addition to requiring them to restore through restoration orders were issued to degraders. With these efforts, the country’s wetland cover has appreciated from 8.9% in 2019 to 9.3% in 2021 of Uganda's land surface.

Uganda’s total land area is approximately 24.1 million hectares but more than 14% of this is wetlands with 8,613 gazetted wetlands as of 2023.  4.7% of the wetlands is considered degraded.

By 2025, NEMA and other stakeholders restored 1.2 million hectares of Uganda’s wetland reversing wetland cover loss from 2.2 million hectares approx. 8.9% in 2021 to 3.4 million hectares approx. 13.9% in 2025.

In 2025, Uganda protected the 3.4 million hectares approx 13.9% of its wetlands as compared to 3% Africa’s average and 6% Global average and was ranked first in Africa and 3rd globally in wetland protection. 

Approx. 2,500ha out of 116,431.46ha has been demarcated across the country covering the following wetland systems: Aswa/Achwa wetland system; Awoja, Enyau, Kibimba, Mayanja, Lumbuye, Mpanga, Muszizi, Tochi and Sezibwa-Lwajali. 

Enforcement capacity of NEMA is being progressively strengthened by the Government including the establishment of the Environmental Protection Force (EPF).

The Authority has continued with awareness and restoration of wetlands across the country. In 1994, wetland coverage was 15.6% from 37,575ha while by 2017 but it decreased to 9.3%. Between 2021 and 2025, wetland cover loss was reversed from 13% to 13.9%.

Restorations

Some of the wetland systems where NEMA carried out restoration efforts includes Lubigi Wetland system (486Ha), Kanyabuhura Wetland (26.7Ha) in Rwampara district, Kyanja Wetland (8.09Ha) in Nakawa, and Lwajjali Wetland system (1.2Ha) in Seeta, Mukono. A total of 1,598 hectares of degraded wetland systems were restored in FY2023/2024.