Dr. Susan Nakanwagi

Susan is a lawyer and currently a Natural Resources Governance and Rights Specialist at Regenerate Africa, Uganda. She provides technical advice and project support to Regenerate Africa’s natural resource development and governance agenda. Susan is also a research associate and PhD scholar at the Centre for Energy, Petroleum, Mineral Law and Policy (CEPMLP), University of Dundee, United Kingdom. She has worked on two CEPMLP projects on navigating the energy transition in Africa, funded by the Royal Society of Edinburgh and UK Aid.

Susan is currently a lecturer at the School of Law, Nkumba University, Uganda, where she teaches International Law and Environmental Law. She supplemented her studies with internships at the Extractives Hub, CEPMLP and the International Energy Agency (IEA). At the IEA, Office of the Legal Counsel in Paris – France, Susan contributed to two reports on (1) Driving Down Methane Leaks from the Oil and Gas Industry; (2) The role of critical minerals in clean energy transitions. She has conducted extensive research on climate change issues and natural resource governance. Susan worked as a senior research associate and project of the Women in Energy and Mining Empowerment Program of the ‘African Energy and Mining Management Initiative’ (AEMI), based in Uganda.

Over the five years, Susan has conducted interdisciplinary energy, environmental and mining policy research. She analysed data and literature on several topics such as
energy justice, the role of critical minerals in global decarbonisation, just transition, energy transition, zero-carbon energy systems, oil and gas, environmental and social governance concerns (ESG), circular economy and climate change adaptation and mitigation. Susan holds an LLM in Natural Resource Law and Policy (Distinction) from the University of Dundee, a Post Graduate Diploma in Legal Practice from the Law Development Centre, Kampala, and a Bachelor of Laws (Honours) from Makerere
University. Susan is also a member of the Uganda and East African Law Societies and the Energy Institute.

Research Interests

Staff Publications

Book Chapters
Azubuike S.I., Nakanwagi S., Dike S.C. (2022) Utilizing Sustainability Assessment Framework to
Obtain a Social License to Operate in Renewable Energy Projects. In: Wood G., Górski J., Mete G.
(eds) The Palgrave Handbook of Social License to Operate and Energy Transitions. Palgrave Studies
in Energy Transitions. Palgrave Macmillan, Cham. https://doi.org/10.1007/978-3-030-74725-1_7-1

Nakanwagi S. (2021). Nuclear Energy & Energy Transitions: Prospects, Challenges and Safeguards
in Sub-Saharan Africa. In: Nalule V.R. (eds) Energy Transitions and the Future of the African Energy
Sector. Palgrave Macmillan, Cham. https://doi.org/10.1007/978-3-030-56849-8_4
Journal Articles
M.C. Abraham-Dukuma; O.C. Aholu; S. Nakanwagi; 2022. “Improving Regulatory Approaches for
Abating Upstream Gas Emissions in a Low Carbon Era: Case Study of Algeria, Egypt, and Nigeria”,
OGEL 2 (2022), www.ogel.org URL: www.ogel.org/article.asp?key=4021
Azubuike, S.I., Nakanwagi, S. and Pinto, J., 2022. Mining Resource Corridor development in Nigeria:
critical considerations and actions for a diversified and sustainable economic future. Mineral
Economics, pp.1-17. https://doi.org/10.1007/s13563-022-00307-5
Susan Nakanwagi and Ayebare Tom Rukundo, ‘Covid-19 Pandemic Deranging Energy Transition in
Uganda: Challenges and Prospects,’ Global Energy Law and Sustainability, 1.2 (2020): 211–216, DOI:
10.3366/gels.2020.0030 © Edinburgh University Press
Institutional Reports; Papers and Insights
Susan Nakanwagi, 2021. Navigating the Energy Transition in Africa, The Fate of Nascent Petroleum
Economies in an Accelerating Global Transition. Centre for Energy, Petroleum, and Mineral Law and

Policy, University of Dundee, supported by UKAID.

https://energyhubplus.org/wp-content/uploads/2021/06/20211028-Research-Insight-FINAL.pdf

Susan Nakanwagi, 2021. Increasing Uptake of Liquefied Petroleum Gas in Uganda: Lessons from
Morocco. Centre for Energy, Petroleum, and Mineral Law and Policy, University of Dundee, supported
by the Royal Society of Edinburgh. https://energyhubplus.org/wp-content/uploads/2021/06/20211028-
RSE-Uganda-Research-Insight-FINAL.pdf

Peter Cameron, Daniel Gilbert, Maroof Mittha, and Susan Nakanwagi, 2021. Moving Beyond Oil and
Gas: What can we learn from States in the Commonwealth? Centre for Energy, Petroleum, and Mineral
Law and Policy, University of Dundee, supported by the Royal Society of Edinburgh.

https://energyhubplus.org/wp-content/uploads/2021/06/20211028-RSE-Commonwealth-Research-
Insight-FINAL.pdf

Nakanwagi S 2021., Mine Closure and Justice Implications [Online] International Journal of
Petroleum, Infrastructure, and Energy Law. (IJPIEL). Available at
https://ijpiel.com/index.php/2021/08/13/mine-closure-and-justice-implications
IEA (2021). The Role of Critical Minerals in Clean Energy Transitions. World Energy Outlook Special

Report, International Energy Agency, Paris.

https://www.iea.org/reports/the-role-of-critical-minerals-
in-clean-energy-transitions (Contributor)

IEA (2021), Driving Down Methane Leaks from the Oil and Gas Industry, IEA, Paris
https://www.iea.org/reports/driving-down-methane-leaks-from-the-oil-and-gas-industry (Contributor)
Loyola Karobwa and Susan Nakanwagi, ‘Analytical Report of the Legal Challenges faced by the
Artisanal Salt Miners at Lake Katwe in Uganda and the Possible Practical Solutions,’ (July 2020),
African Energy and Minerals Management Initiative, Legal Aid Programme.
Susan Nakanwagi, ‘Understanding Linkages in the Extractive Industries: An Insight,’ December 2019,
Extractives Hub, University of Dundee
Susan Nakanwagi, ‘Overview of the Legal and Regulatory Framework of the Oil and Gas Industry in
Uganda,’ April 2019, AEMI Knowledge Centre.

Susan Nakanwagi, ‘Examination of the Challenges Faced by the Female Artisanal Salt Miners and the
Possible Practical Solutions: Case study – Lake Katwe, Uganda,’ December 2018, AEMI Women in
Energy and Mining Empowerment Program.

Staff Members

Staff Supervision

Paper Presentation: Titled – “Navigating the Energy Transition in Africa: The Fate of Nascent
Petroleum Economies in an Accelerating
Global Transition” at the Nkumba International Research Conference (NIRC), 25 November 2021
under the theme “Nurturing an Educational and Research Culture in the 4th Industrial Revolution Higher
Institutions of Learning.” By Nkumba University, Uganda.
• CEPMLP PhD Researchers Association Graduate Symposium, 2020. “Towards the Realisation of the
2030 Sustainable Development Goals: The Role of the Energy Sector”, 24 September 2020.
• University of Houston Law Center, “1st Annual Conference: Global Energy Transition Law & Policy,
April 17, 2020.
• Webinar Presentation: Title – ‘Nuclear Energy in Africa: Prospects, Challenges and Safeguards’ in
Webinar titled – ‘Energy Access in Africa: The Role of Nuclear Energy’, 16 June 2020
• Paper Presentation: “Mining for Sustainable Development: Recent Developments in Uganda’s Mining
Industry.” Conference titled, “What is the Future of the African Energy and Mining Industry?” By the
African Energy and Mining Management Initiative (AEMI) held on 26 April 2019 in Uganda.
• Panellist: Session on, “Utilising the Energy and Mining Resources to Drive Environmental, Social,
Economic and Environmental Development.” Conference titled, “What is the Future of the African
Energy and Mining Industry?” By the African Energy and Mining Management Initiative (AEMI) held
on 26 April 2019.