The Minister of Trade, Industry and Cooperatives, Hon. Sanjay Tanna, has called for increased investment, value addition, manufacturing and innovation as key drivers of Uganda’s economic transformation.
Speaking at the Equity Bank Uganda Trade Mission at Marriott Hotel Kampala Minister Tanna said Uganda possesses significant economic potential arising from its youthful and enterprising population, abundant natural resources, strategic geographical position and growing domestic and regional markets.
However, he cautioned that resources alone cannot create prosperity. He emphasised the need for Uganda to transform its productive capacity by promoting investment, manufacturing, value addition, innovation and exports. This focus is consistent with the Ministry’s broader mandate of promoting industrial development and an export-led private sector.
Value addition at the centre of industrialisation
A major theme of the Minister’s address was the importance of value addition. He urged Uganda to move beyond exporting raw materials and instead process and manufacture products locally.
He identified several sectors with opportunities for value addition, including agriculture and agro-processing, minerals, pharmaceuticals, textiles and garments, leather, construction materials and ICT.
According to the Minister, adding value to locally produced resources can generate employment, increase household incomes, strengthen local businesses, expand the tax base and enable Uganda to earn more from international trade.
Uganda’s development plans similarly identify value addition as an important pathway to higher incomes, employment creation and industrial growth.
Creating an enabling environment for investors
Minister Tanna also stressed the importance of attracting the right investments and creating an environment in which businesses can grow and remain competitive.
He noted that investors require *predictability, efficient institutions, reliable infrastructure and energy, skilled labour, access to finance and clear regulations*. These conditions, he argued, are essential for encouraging both domestic and international investors to establish and expand businesses in Uganda.
He further emphasised that Government has a responsibility to continuously improve the business and investment environment while maintaining constructive engagement with the private sector.
Government and private sector partnership
The Minister’s remarks highlighted the importance of collaboration between Government, investors, financial institutions, entrepreneurs and other private-sector players in driving Uganda’s economic transformation.
The Equity Bank Uganda Trade Mission provided a platform for these stakeholders to discuss practical opportunities for investment and economic development. Such Government-private-sector collaboration is also central to Uganda’s wider industrialisation strategy.
Minister Tanna’s message was clear: Uganda must move from exporting raw materials to producing higher-value goods and services locally. By investing in manufacturing, value addition, innovation and human capital, while creating a predictable and investor-friendly business environment, Uganda can create more jobs, strengthen local enterprises and expand its presence in regional and international markets.
His address therefore placed **value addition, investment and private-sector participation at the heart of Uganda’s journey towards sustainable industrialisation and economic transformation.
The Executive director Equity Bank clever Serumaga says the mission has attracted investors and customers from across the globe to interact with the bank’s clients.
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Serumaga explained that the mission aims to create a marketplace where participants can interact and share ideas around manufacturing, innovation, technology and accessing markets beyond Uganda.
This year’s trade mission is running under the theme “Driving Innovation and Industrial Growth.”
