West Nile sub-region, previously known asWest Nile Province andWest Nile District, is a sub-region in north-westernUganda, in theNorthern Region of Uganda.[1]
The sub-region is bordered by theDemocratic Republic of the Congo to the south and west, bySouth Sudan to the north and by theAlbert Nile to the east. The town ofArua, is the largest town in the sub-region. Arua lies approximately 475 kilometres (295 mi), by road, northwest ofKampala, thecapital ofUganda, 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 theAlbert Nile. Military leader and former president of Uganda,Idi Amin, first gained prominence in the West Nile region before staging a military coup and usurpingMilton Obote in 1971.
As of May 2019, West Nile is supplied by the 3.5-megawattNyagak Hydroelectric Power Station, located atNyapea,Zombo District. This is boosted by the newly installed 4.6-megawatt Yumbe Thermal Power Station, operated by Electromaxx. Another 8-megawatt thermal installation is expected in June 2019.[3]
Meantime, construction of the 6.6-megawattNyagak 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 two to three years. Electromaxx has received authorization to transfer 12.6 megawatts of its installation atTororo to West Nile, to alleviate the acute power shortage there.[3]