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An oil spillage at Nytil Manufacturing Ltd in Njeru, Buikwe District has sparked fresh questions about environmental compliance and regulatory supervision.
In a press release issued Today, 12th Feb. 2026, the National Environment Management Authority (NEMA) confirmed that “a spillage of oil has occurred at the Nytil textile manufacturing facility in Njeru, Buikwe District, resulting from operational failure of oil boiler.” The Authority quickly moved to calm nerves, insisting, “At this moment, there is no cause for public alarm.”
But critics say the real alarm is how such a failure happened under NEMA’s watch.
“Nytil is not a roadside garage. It is an established textile manufacturer operating within Uganda’s industrial framework. Facilities handling oil boilers and industrial waste are subject to environmental regulations, periodic inspections and compliance monitoring. An operational failure leading to oil spillage suggests serious questions about maintenance standards, risk management and environmental safeguards,” says an environment expert RedPepper quickly spoke to for a comment.
NEMA says it “has been briefed on the situation and has immediately deployed a technical team to the site.” The Authority adds that it is “actively conducting assessments, coordinating with relevant agencies, and taking the necessary measures to assist the company in containing and managing the incident.”
But critics argue that intervention after a spill is damage control, not prevention.
“If supervision mechanisms were airtight, should an oil boiler failure escalate to a spill in the first place? Environmental oversight is not only about responding swiftly after pollution occurs; it is about ensuring systems are strong enough to prevent such incidents.”
The Authority reassured the public that “the situation is under close control and is being handled with the highest level of urgency, professionalism, and technical expertise.” A comprehensive statement, NEMA promised, will be issued “at an appropriate time.”
Yet for environmental observers, the reassurance does not erase the fact that oil has already spilled.
Oil spills, even when described as contained, carry environmental risks. Soil contamination, water pollution and long-term ecological damage are real concerns, especially in industrial zones near communities and water bodies. The textile manufacturing sector, already associated globally with environmental waste challenges, must adhere to strict compliance standards.
“Nytil now faces scrutiny over its environmental management systems. Was the oil boiler regularly inspected? Were safety audits conducted? Were there warning signs ignored? Industrial operators have a duty of care not only to shareholders, but to surrounding communities and ecosystems,” stresses the environmental expert.
The incident comes at the heels of President Yoweri Museveni’s meeting last month with officials from the Ministry of Water and Environment and NEMA at his Kisozi farm in Gomba. According to sources familiar with the meeting, the President was deeply dissatisfied with what he described as a failed war against environmental protection and wetland encroachment, despite years of policies, task forces, and public declarations.
With the Head of State reportedly unhappy about environmental enforcement, the Nytil oil spill now adds fresh pressure on NEMA to prove it is not asleep on the job.
As investigations continue, both Nytil and the environmental watchdog face tough questions: is this negligence, weak oversight, or both?
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