Kampala, Uganda | THE INDEPENDENT | The Minister of Trade, Industry and Cooperatives in Uganda Francis Mwebesa has said Uganda will intensify its import substitution agenda as a strategic pillar for industrialization, focusing on strengthening domestic production to competitively replace imported goods while creating jobs and retaining foreign exchange.
He has revealed that domestically produced cement, iron and steel products such as rebars and roofing sheets, pharmaceuticals, textiles and garments, edible oils, sugar, dairy products and processed foods are increasingly meeting local demand and competing favourably with imports.
“The growth of local steel mills, cement factories, dairy processing plants, and fruit processing facilities demonstrates Uganda’s steady progress toward building resilient value chains, reducing the import bill, and strengthening the country’s industrial base in line with national development priorities,” he said.
He made the remarks at the official opening Wednesday of the National Trade Sector Review Conference (NTSC) 2026 at Speke Resort Convention Centre, Munyonyo.
Gold and coffee
In 2025, Uganda’s total exports registered robust growth, driven by both merchandise and services. Uganda’s export performance improved markedly, with total export earnings rising from about USD 5 billion in 2020 to USD 13.4 billion in 2025, an increase of more than 160 percent.
“The export growth in 2025 was driven by gold which reached USD 6.4 billion, while coffee exports amounted to USD 2.2 billion, consolidating Uganda’s position as Africa’s leading coffee exporter,” the minister revealed.
The conference has brought together government leaders, private sector actors, development partners, and regional institutions to discuss Uganda’s trade progress and chart the path toward a $500 billion economy by 2040.
Organised by the Ministry of Trade, Industry and Cooperatives (MTIC) in partnership with TradeMark Africa and UK International Development, the two-day conference provides a national platform to review trade sector performance, assess policy and institutional reforms, and identify priority actions needed to strengthen Uganda’s competitiveness in regional and global markets..
The conference theme is “Trade-Driven Transformation: Propelling Uganda to a $500B Economy by 2040.”
Uganda and the region
At the conference, it was revealed that Uganda currently benefits from participation in several important trade arrangements, including the East African Community (EAC), COMESA, the Tripartite Free Trade Area and the African Continental Free Trade Area (AfCFTA).
Today, about 38 percent of Uganda’s exports go to markets within the region. Beyond Africa, Uganda’s exports are distributed across several regions, including: the Middle East (26%); Asia (20%) and the European Union (13%). Over 70 percent of Uganda’s manufactured exports are destined for regional markets.
Within the Common Market for Eastern and Southern Africa, Uganda has access to a market of 21 countries, with a population of more than 682 million people and a combined GDP of about 1.1 trillion dollars. This market has become one of Uganda’s most important export destinations. Between 2020 and 2025, Uganda’s exports to COMESA increased from 1.59 billion dollars to about 2.4 billion dollars.
Within the East African Community, intra-regional trade reached 14.3 billion dollars, growing by 18 percent according to the EAC Trade and Investment Report 2024. Uganda’s exports within the EAC stood at about 2.07 billion dollars.
Experts say that Uganda’s export growth into the region sends a clear message that when Ugandan producers gain access to markets, they deliver.
