Africa Centre for Energy and Mineral Policy (ACEMP)

What Africa Centre for Energy and Mineral Policy (ACEMP) does

ACEMP (Africa Centre for Energy and Mineral Policy) is a non-profit think tank and Centre of Excellence founded in 2012 and headquartered in Kampala, Uganda. It operates four programmes: the Mineral and Mining Development Programme (MDP), the Oil and Gas Development Programme (OGDP), the Renewable Energy and Climate Change Programme (RECC), and Business and Human Rights (BHR). Its work is directed at policymakers, regulators, mining and petroleum communities, and civil-society actors across East Africa, with the stated objective of improving governance, transparency, and sustainability in the extractive industries.

The organization's core products are policy research outputs, regulatory scorecards, and on-the-ground formalization tools. The Petroleum Sub-sector Scorecard is co-produced annually with the National Petroleum Authority and serves as an accountability instrument for Uganda's petroleum sector. BRASM is a biometric registration platform used to identify and formalize artisanal and small-scale miners. Field initiatives include the Karamoja Resource Protection Initiative, the National Action Plan on mercury management (2018–2019), and most recently the 42-month PACER project with the Royal Danish Embassy (July 2024 – December 2027), which extends extractive governance work into West Nile and additional districts.

ACEMP is grant-funded and does not sell products or services commercially. Revenue flows from bilateral and multilateral donors — including Open Society Initiative for Eastern Africa, UNDP, and the Royal Danish Embassy — channeled into multi-year projects and programmatic grants. It maintains a core technical staff of four-plus within a team of approximately six, supplemented by project-based consultants and partner organizations.

Name

Africa Centre for Energy and Mineral Policy (ACEMP)

Legal name

Africa Centre for Energy and Mineral Policy

Website

https://acemp.org

Company type

Private

Founded year

2012

Operating status

Operating

Headcount range

1–10 employees

Ownership category

akta.pro rank

Product category

Extractive Industries Policy Research & Advocacy

NAICS

Environmental Consulting Services (54162)

SIC

Oil & Gas Field Exploration Services (1382)

akta.pro industry

PRIMARYEUAHAAAG

Environmental & Social Management Plans (ESMP) / Mitigation Monitoring

Energy, Utilities & Environment/Environmental Compliance, Monitoring & Consulting/Environmental Impact Assessment (EIA) & Permitting

SECONDARYEUABAKAE

Supplier Engagement & Value-Chain Decarbonization Programs

Energy, Utilities & Environment/Carbon & Climate Solutions (Carbon Markets, Offsets, CCS/CCUS)/Corporate Net-Zero & Climate Strategy Services (Targets, Transition Plans, SBTi Support)

Keywords

• Extractive industries policy
• Mineral development research
• Artisanal mining formalization
• Responsible mineral supply chains
• Energy policy advocacy

Headquarters

HQ city

Kampala

HQ country

Uganda

HQ region

Africa

Offices1 record

Markets served

GTM type

B2B

Offering type

Services

Cost components

Personnel, Operations, Technology or R&D, Marketing or Sales

Revenue model

1. Grant Funding and Donor Support: ACEMP operates as a not-for-profit organization funded through grants and partnerships with international donors, foundations, and government agencies. Funding sources include Open Society Initiative for Eastern Africa, UNDP, Danish Embassy, and various international development organizations.

Go-to-market motion2 records

Distribution channels3 records

Marketing channels7 records

Core offering

ACEMP is a not-for-profit think tank that delivers policy research, advocacy, capacity building, and stakeholder engagement services for Uganda's extractive industries. It operates four thematic programs (MDP, OGDP, RECC, BHR) and runs projects on responsible mineral supply chains, formalization of artisanal mining, and extractives transparency. Its customers are government ministries, donors, mining communities, and international partners working on mineral, oil, gas, and renewable energy policy.

Product overview

ACEMP is a Not-for-profit policy research and advocacy think tank, not a product technology company. It operates four core programs: Mineral and Mining Development Program (MDP), Oil and Gas Development Program (OGDP), Renewable Energy and Climate Change Program (RECC), and Business and Human Rights (BHR). The organization implements multiple projects including the Annual Petroleum and Mineral Development Scorecards, responsible mineral supply chain initiatives, and transparency programs. These programs and projects function as organizational initiatives and reporting tools rather than software products or technology platforms.

Differentiator

Problem solved

Functional benefit

Products and services

• Mineral and Mining Development Program (MDP) A thematic program that delivers research, advocacy, and stakeholder engagement on mining policy, mineral economics, and the formalization of Uganda's mining sector, including artisanal and small-scale mining. Targeted at government, mining communities, and donors.
• Oil and Gas Development Program (OGDP) A thematic program focused on policy and governance issues in Uganda's oil and gas sector, including revenue management, transparency, and local content. Targeted at government, regulators, and donors.
• Renewable Energy and Climate Change Program (RECC) A thematic program delivering research and advocacy on renewable energy policy and climate change within the broader extractive-industries context. Targeted at government and development partners.
• Business and Human Rights (BHR) Program A thematic program that addresses human rights risks and standards in Uganda's extractive industries, including responsible business conduct and community rights. Targeted at government, companies, and communities.
• Promoting Responsible Mineral Supply Chains Project A project that supports transparency and due diligence in Uganda's mineral supply chains, including use of the PLEXII Platform. Targeted at government, donors, and supply chain actors.
• Karamoja Resource Protection, Governance and Development Initiative A regional initiative focused on resource protection, governance, and development in Uganda's Karamoja mining region, including ASM formalization and community engagement. Targeted at mining host communities, government, and donors.
• Annual Petroleum and Mineral Development Scorecards An annual benchmarking product that independently assesses the governance and performance of Uganda's petroleum and mineral development sector. Targeted at government, donors, and the public.
• Biometric Registration of Artisanal and Small-Scale Miners (BRASM) A biometric registration offering for artisanal and small-scale miners aimed at formalizing the sector, enabling identity, and supporting rights protection. Targeted at mining communities and government.
• Promoting Transparent Extractive Sector Project A project delivering transparency and accountability interventions in Uganda's extractive sector, including revenue transparency and beneficiary tracking. Targeted at government, donors, and civil society.

Quantifiable outcome

• By 2026, build the capacity of 5,000 ASMs in responsible and environmentally friendly mining practices
• +3 more outcomes

Named customers4 records

Segments5 records

Ideal customer profiles3 records

Technology focussed No

API detail

Has API

No

API docs

API detail

Core technology

AI maturity

App detail

Feature2 records

Partnerships

Eleven partnerships are on record, tiered core and minor.

• Solidaridad East and Central AfricacoreStrategic or Co-development Partner · 1 July 2024Partnership to implement activities under the Reclaim Sustainability Project. Focus areas include responsible practices for natural resource management, decent work and labour conditions, CSO collaborations, policy improvement dialogue, enhanced participation of women in mining, resilient and biodiversity sensitive mining, and formalisation of Artisanal and Small Scale Mining (ASM).
• IUCNminorStrategic or Co-development PartnerParticipated in joint research study to map formal and informal mercury trade routes in Uganda. Study focused on identifying illicit trade routes, trade hubs and key players to enhance mercury governance within the ASGM sector. Study titled 'Opening the Black Box: Local Insights into the Formal and Informal Global Mercury Trade Revealed'.
• Ministry of Energy and Mineral Development (MEMD)coreStrategic or Co-development PartnerPartnership for formalisation of ASM sector through Biometric Registration of Artisanal and Small Scale Miners (BRASM). Involves collection of biometric information (face and fingerprints) stored in central database managed by DGSM. Registration requires Ugandan citizenship and valid National Identity Card.
• National Environment Management Authority (NEMA)coreStrategic or Co-development PartnerConducted 'The National Overview of the Artisanal and Small-Scale Gold Mining (ASGM) Sector' including baseline estimates of mercury use and practices. Developed National Action Plan for ASGM in Uganda outlining strategies for mercury management and elimination in ASGM sector.
• Platform for Extractive Industries Information (PLEXII)coreStrategic or Co-development PartnerCo-developer of PLEXII platform for extractive industries information. ACEMP contributes to knowledge dissemination and web-based information sharing to enhance public participation and policy debate on extractives governance. Goal: 200,000 people accessing information by 2026.
• National Planning Authority (NPA)coreStrategic or Co-development PartnerPartnership to develop annual Petroleum Sub-sector Scorecard for Uganda to assess performance of sub-sector and identify key interventional areas. Scorecard provides evidence for NPA's decision in awarding Certificate of Compliance to Energy and Mineral Development Sector.
• Optima Mines and Minerals LtdcoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerJoint implementation of Responsible Mineral Supply Chains of Designated Conflict Minerals project. Partnership between Government of Uganda, Mine Operators/Exporters of Tin, Tantalum, Tungsten and Gold (3TGs), ASMs, and Civil Society to promote responsible mineral supply chain from mine site to export.
• Directorate of Geological Survey and Mines (DGSM)coreStrategic or Co-development PartnerJoint implementation partner for responsible mineral supply chain project. Manages the central database for Biometric Registration of Artisanal and Small Scale Miners (BRASM) including biometric information, miner details, and operational data.
• RICE West NileminorStrategic or Co-development PartnerConsortium partner in PACER project (Strengthening Environmental Accountability and Climate Action in West Nile and Karamoja). Covers West Nile districts of Zombo, Madi Okollo, Obongi, and Adjumani.
• Friends of ZokaminorStrategic or Co-development PartnerConsortium partner in PACER project focusing on West Nile region environmental accountability and climate action.
• Sustainable Plan and Action for Community Empowerment (SPACE)minorStrategic or Co-development PartnerConsortium partner in PACER project for West Nile and Karamoja regions.

Scale indicators3 records

Recent moves6 records

Expansion highlights4 records

Broad incumbents

• Solidaridad: International civil society organization implementing responsible supply chain programs in mining, agriculture, and commodities — directly comparable through its Reclaim Sustainability partnership with ACEMP on ASM formalization.
• BankTrack: International civil society tracking role of financial institutions in extractive sector projects and due diligence — overlapping with ACEMP's responsible mineral supply chain and governance advocacy, though focused on banking sector accountability.
• International Institute for Environment and Development (IIED): International research organization working on sustainable development, natural resources, and extractives governance — comparable through its ASM and mining governance portfolio but with a much broader environmental and climate mandate.

Direct peers

• Publish What You Pay (PWYP): Global civil society coalition of 100+ member organizations promoting extractive industry transparency and accountability — highly comparable to ACEMP's coalition-style advocacy on mining revenue transparency and ASM formalization.
• IMPACT (formerly Partnership Africa Canada): Civil society organization focused on natural resource governance, conflict minerals, and due diligence in the Great Lakes Region — directly comparable given overlapping 3TGs supply chain work and joint research on mercury trade with ACEMP/IUCN.
• Global Witness: Investigative and advocacy NGO focused on extractives governance, conflict minerals, and natural resource transparency — overlapping with ACEMP's work on ASM formalization, 3TGs supply chains, and Ugandan extractive sector accountability.
• Natural Resource Governance Institute (NRGI): International think tank focused on extractive industry governance, transparency, and resource policy reform — directly comparable to ACEMP's mandate, with a global footprint and overlapping work on oil, gas, and mining scorecards.
• African Minerals Development Centre (African Mining Vision): African Union-affiliated body implementing the Africa Mining Vision for transparent and sustainable mineral governance across the continent — directly comparable to ACEMP's role as a national extractive governance partner in Uganda.

Regional players

• Centre for Natural Resource Governance (CNRG) Zimbabwe: Zimbabwe-focused civil society organization promoting transparent and accountable extractive sector governance — directly comparable mandate to ACEMP but operating in a different Southern African country, useful regional peer reference.

Emerging players

• Resource Matters: Independent non-profit focused on extractive industry transparency and responsible mineral supply chains — comparable to ACEMP's due-diligence work but with a smaller portfolio focused primarily on the Great Lakes Region.

Market position

Strengths5 records

Weaknesses5 records

Competitive moat3 records

Key risks5 records

Key highlights6 records

Customer concentration

• Xx.com/acemp_ug
• Facebookfacebook.com/Africa-Centre-for-Energy-and-Mineral-Policy-Acemp-462825253824939
• LinkedInlinkedin.com/company/africa-centre-for-energy-and-mineral-policy-acemp

Revenue estimate

Valuation estimate

Number of profiles

Profiles4 records

Funding overview

Funding rounds

Investors

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M&A

Investments

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Frequently asked questions about Africa Centre for Energy and Mineral Policy (ACEMP)