A fire-safety innovation developed by Kyambogo University graduate Timothy Obbo has received legal protection from the Uganda Registration Services Bureau (URSB), marking a major milestone for a project that began as a university engineering innovation.
URSB granted Obbo and Kyambogo University a Utility Model Certificate for an Automated Cooking Gas Fire Suppression System, an innovation designed to detect and respond to fires involving liquefied petroleum gas (LPG), commonly known as cooking gas.
The certificate, granted on June 18, 2026, formally recognises the innovation under Uganda’s Industrial Property Act and gives the inventors intellectual property protection over the utility model.
The protection provides a legal foundation for further development and potential commercialisation of the technology.
How the innovation works
The automated system combines fire detection, automatic response and remote monitoring to respond to cooking gas-related fires.
It uses infrared flame sensors to detect radiation associated with fire. Once a fire is detected, a microcontroller processes the signal and activates mechanisms designed to suppress or control the flames.
The innovation addresses safety concerns associated with LPG, where gas leaks and accidental ignition can quickly result in fires.
Timothy Obbo
From university project to protected innovation
Obbo graduated from Kyambogo University in 2024 with a Bachelor of Science in Process and Chemical Engineering.
He completed his degree with a CGPA of 4.75, earning recognition as the Best Student in the Faculty of Engineering.
His academic performance later earned him recognition from the Engineers Registration Board (ERB), which awarded him a gold medal during the World Engineering Day celebrations at Hotel Africana in Kampala on March 4, 2025.
However, it is his work on cooking gas fire safety that has continued to set him apart.
While at Kyambogo, Obbo showcased the prototype at several science and engineering events, including the 2023 National Science Week at Kololo Independence Grounds, the 2024 National Council for Higher Education exhibition in Mbale, and Kyambogo University’s 2024 Oil and Gas Skills Expo.
The exhibitions gave him an opportunity to demonstrate the technology to academics, government officials, students and industry stakeholders.
At the 2024 National Council for Higher Education exhibition, Obbo presented the prototype to then Deputy Prime Minister for East African Affairs Rebecca Alitwala Kadaga, who was the guest of honour.
He also showcased the innovation at the university’s Oil and Gas Skills Expo, an area closely linked to his professional interest in Uganda’s developing petroleum industry.
Mentor played key role
Obbo’s innovation received support from Kyambogo University’s Faculty of Engineering, including lecturer Eng. Mercy Kitimbo Asiku, who served as his mentor and patents coordinator.
Kitimbo supported Obbo in pursuing intellectual property protection for the innovation.
The Faculty of Engineering had previously highlighted the innovation’s potential and indicated that Obbo had obtained protection from URSB under UG/P/2024/13.
The latest certificate specifically records the innovation as Utility Model No. UGU2026/10, granted in June 2026.
What the protection means
A utility model is a form of intellectual property protection for qualifying innovations and improvements.
In Uganda, such protection grants inventors exclusive rights over the protected innovation for a period that can run for a maximum of 10 years from the filing date, subject to applicable legal requirements.
For Obbo, the protection marks an important transition from developing a university prototype to having a legally recognised innovation with potential for further development and commercialisation.
Kyambogo University has described his journey as an example of how university research and final-year engineering projects can evolve into practical solutions to real-world challenges.
The university’s Faculty of Engineering has also highlighted his academic performance, participation in exhibitions and engagement with engineering and industrial challenges throughout his studies.
With the URSB certificate now in place, Obbo’s cooking gas fire suppression system has a stronger foundation for further development and possible commercial application.
The innovation could potentially be adapted for use in homes, industries and other facilities that rely on cooking gas, helping improve fire detection and response.
Obbo, who has expressed interest in real-world engineering projects, particularly Uganda’s oil and gas sector, is now building on the innovation as he advances his professional engineering career.
