BY D KASULE: President Yoweri Kaguta Museveni has renewed his call to international investors to seize opportunities in Uganda’s trade and production. In his remarks read by the vice president Jessica Alupo, at the 2nd Uganda Connect International Buyers’ Week, in Kampala on Wednesday, Museveni says Uganda is now better positioned than ever to support large-scale production, value addition, and export growth.
This annual event, which is organized by the office of the president under the Presidential Advisory Committee on Export and Industrial Development (PACEID), brings together buyers, exporters, trade representatives and government officials from over ten countries including Nigeria, Ghana, South Africa, Ethiopia, China, Serbia, the United States and the Democratic Republic of Congo.
Museveni said the event has become a strategic platform to turn business interest into firm purchase orders and long-term partnerships that can create jobs, expand exports and raise household incomes. According to Museveni, Uganda is the “gateway to East and Central Africa”, backed by a young labor force, steady political stability, vast natural resources and the ability to produce agricultural commodities all year round.
He explained that while Uganda has historically had an abundance of land and labor, the country continues to face shortages of capital, entrepreneurship, and technical knowledge, three factors he said are essential to transform Uganda’s economic potential into real wealth. “Without capital, entrepreneurship and knowledge, Uganda’s land and labour will remain as they have been since before the time of Jesus,” Museveni noted, urging international investors to bring financing and technical know-how to the country’s emerging industries.
He highlighted four priority sectors: commercial agriculture, industry, services, and ICT, which he said can rapidly expand Uganda’s GDP from the current USD 61 billion to USD 500 billion in the coming years. According to government data, Uganda’s exports averaged USD 5.23 billion in the first half of 2025, indicating a strong progress in key commodities. Coffee exports remain the top performer, supported by increasing global demand for specialty and organic beans.
The dairy sector has registered similar success, with national milk production hitting 5.4 billion liters by the end of 2024, alongside new markets opening up in Algeria and Nigeria for powdered milk and long-life dairy products. Museveni said these results show the urgent need to diversify export products, invest in value addition and reduce reliance on raw commodity exports.
Government has since barred the export of several raw materials and invested in industrial hubs, processing plants, and the Entebbe Free Zone which is expected to streamline export inspections using AI-enabled systems, improve traceability, and enhance quality control. State Minister for Trade Wilson Mbadi, praised the platform, saying it aligns with the National Development Plan IV and the 10-Fold Growth Strategy, two frameworks designed to expand value-added exports, boost industrialization and improve household incomes.
He noted that Uganda is aggressively positioning itself to take advantage of the African Continental Free Trade Area (AfCFTA), which opens access to a market of 1.4 billion people and a combined GDP of USD 3.4 trillion.“The AfCFTA presents Uganda with the largest market expansion in our history,” he noted. “New markets in West, North and Central Africa, including Nigeria, Algeria, Morocco, Tunisia and Cameroon, are now within reach under duty-free and quota-free arrangements.”
He added that Uganda has already identified priority AfCFTA products including coffee, dairy, fish, fruits, iron and steel, pharmaceuticals and sugar. The Uganda Revenue Authority is integrating AfCFTA systems into ASYCUDA World to enable seamless trade under the continental framework.
AfCFTA Secretary General Wamkele Mene commended Uganda for its growing leadership in intra-African trade, citing the first shipments of Ugandan coffee, dairy and pharmaceuticals to Nigeria under AfCFTA preferences as a “major sign of progress.”
He outlined three priority areas Africa must address for deeper market integration: value addition, improved logistics, and strong partnerships. Mene said logistics improvements such as the new Entebbe–Abuja air cargo corridor, can significantly reduce trade delays and costs. He urged African countries to align infrastructure, industrial policy and market regulations to compete globally.
PACEID Chairman Odrek Rwabwogo said Uganda is establishing trade houses abroad, strengthening food safety systems and fast-tracking financing for exporters. He adds that a new SME export financing model will ensure exporters receive working capital within 21 days after securing orders, helping them overcome credit barriers that previously locked many small businesses out of international markets. He noted that Uganda aims to generate at least USD 1 billion in confirmed business deals from this year’s buyers’ week.
Closing his address, President Museveni urged international buyers to “trust Ugandan suppliers” and encouraged local exporters to comply with global standards. “What we need now are partners who can invest, innovate and trade with us,” he said. “Uganda is open for partnerships.”