West Nile sub-region, previously known as West Nile Province and West Nile District, is a sub-region in north-western Uganda, in the Northern Region of Uganda. [1]
The sub-region is bordered by the Democratic Republic of the Congo to the south and west, by South Sudan to the north and by the Albert Nile to the east. The town of Arua, is the largest town in the sub-region. Arua lies approximately 475 kilometres (295 mi), by road, northwest of Kampala, the capital of Uganda, and the largest city in that country. [2]
West Nile sub-region consists of the following districts, as of July 1, 2021:
The sub-region received its name from being located on the western side of the Albert Nile. Military leader and former president of Uganda, Idi Amin, first gained prominence in the West Nile region before staging a military coup and usurping Milton Obote in 1971.
As of May 2019, West Nile is supplied by the 3.5 megawatts Nyagak Hydroelectric Power Station, located at Nyapea, Zombo District. This is boosted by the newly installed 4.6 megawatt Yumbe Thermal Power Station, operated by Electromaxx. Another 8 megawatts thermal installation is expected in June 2019. [3]
Meantime, construction of the 6.6 megawatts Nyagak III Hydroelectric Power Station, is ongoing, with commissioning expected in 2022. With 16 megawatts to the sub-region now, the current power shortage can be mitigated until the national grid connections arrive in the next 2 to 3 years. Electromaxx has received authorization to transfer 12.6 megawatts of its installation at Tororo to West Nile, to alleviate the acute power shortage there. [3]
Arua is a city and commercial centre within the Arua District in the Northern Region of Uganda.
Yumbe is a town in the Northern Region of Uganda. It is the district headquarters of Yumbe District.
Nyagak Power Station is a 3.5 megawatts (4,700 hp) mini hydroelectric power plant in Uganda.
Bondo is a town in Uganda.
Paidha is a town in the Northern Region of Uganda.
The Basilica of the Blessed Virgin Mary is a Roman Catholic minor basilica dedicated to the Blessed Virgin Mary located in Lodonga, Uganda. The basilica is under the circumscription of the Diocese of Arua. The basilica was dedicated on May 26, 1961.
Arua Regional Referral Hospital, commonly known as Arua Hospital is a hospital in the town of Arua, in Northern Uganda. It is the referral hospital for the districts of Adjumani, Arua, Koboko, Maracha, Moyo, Nebbi, Yumbe, and Zombo. The hospital also receives referrals from neighboring parts of South Sudan and the Democratic Republic of the Congo.
Tororo Thermal Power Station is a 89 MW (119,000 hp) heavy fuel oil-fired thermal power plant located in the town of Tororo in Tororo District in the Eastern Region of Uganda.
Zombo, Uganda, often referred to simply as Zombo, is a town in Zombo District, West Nile sub-region, Northern Uganda.
Muni University (MU) is a public multi-campus university in Uganda. It is one of the public universities and degree-awarding institutions in the country, licensed and supervised by the Uganda National Council for Higher Education (UNCHE).
Nyagak III Power Station is a 6.6 megawatts (8,900 hp) mini hydroelectric power project, under construction in Uganda, the third-largest economy in the East African Community.
Nyagak II Power Station is a 5 megawatts (6,700 hp) proposed mini hydroelectric power project in Uganda.
Agbinika Power Station is a 20 megawatts (27,000 hp) proposed mini hydroelectric power project in Uganda.
West Nile Rural Electrification Company Limited (WENRECO) is an electric energy generating and distribution company in the West Nile sub-region of the Northern Region of Uganda. WENRECO is a wholly owned subsidiary of Industrial Promotion Services (IPS), the industrial development arm of the Aga Khan Fund for Economic Development (AKFED). AKFED is a member of the Aga Khan Development Network.
The Uganda Electricity Generation Company Limited (UEGCL) is a parastatal company whose primary purpose is to generate electric power for use in Uganda and for sale to neighboring countries. As of December 2017, UEGCL's generation capacity was 380 megawatts, with that capacity planned to increase to over 1,300 megawatts, by 2023.
The Koboko–Yumbe–Moyo Road is a road in the Northern Region of Uganda, connecting the towns of Koboko, Yumbe, and Moyo.
The Karuma–Olwiyo–Pakwach–Nebbi–Arua Road is a road in the Northern Region of Uganda, connecting the towns of Karuma, Olwiyo, Pakwach, Nebbi and the city of Arua.
Yumbe Hospital, is a hospital in the West Nile sub-region of the Northern Region of Uganda.
St. Aloysius College Nyapea is a boys-only boarding middle and high school located in Zombo District in the West Nile sub-region, in the Northern Region of Uganda. In the 1960s and 1970s the school was a seat of academic excellence. However, it fell on hard times in subsequent years, and as of 2018, was "a shadow of its former self".
Nyapea, is a town in Zombo District, West Nile sub-region, in the Northern Region of Uganda.