Nabakooza Sarah

3RD ANNUAL DOING BUSINESS FORUM 2026 #10FoldGrowth

PSST OUTLINES KEY REFORMS TO UNLOCK UGANDA'S CONSTRUCTION SECTOR AT 3RD DOING BUSINESS FORUM The Permanent Secretary/Secretary to the Treasury (PSST) @rggoobi has called for improved infrastructure delivery, stronger local contractor capacity, faster business approvals and greater accountability in implementing reforms to unlock Uganda's construction value chain. Speaking at the 3rd Doing Business Forum at Mestil Hotel, Kampala,Dr.Ggoobi said a competitive construction industry supports the entire economy by enabling infrastructure development and expanding opportunities for Ugandan contractors, manufacturers, professionals and workers. Under NDP IV, Government targets to increase the paved share of national roads from 29% to 33%, raise rail's share of cargo transportation from 3% to 20%, and reduce the housing deficit from 2.4 million to 1.9 million units. @rggoobi said these investments should translate into lower transport costs, reliable electricity and affordable development. He emphasised the need for better project preparation, coordinated utility provision and timely implementation to ensure infrastructure investments deliver the intended results. Dr.Ggoobi said local participation in construction must go beyond Ugandan firms winning contracts,adding that they must also have access to finance, equipment, technical capacity and sound management systems to deliver quality work on time. Through the TVET Council, Government is strengthening practical training, industry attachments, apprenticeships and competency-based certification to equip young Ugandans with skills required by the construction industry. Under the Uganda National Land Information System and 22 Ministry of Lands Zonal Offices, land services are being brought closer to users. The PSST reported that land title processing time had reduced from 180 to 45 days. The Building Industry Management System is also digitising building permit applications, inspections, professional verification and fees. He called for building approval systems to be connected to land administration, business registration, taxation and professional regulatory systems. "Businesses should be able to track applications, know requirements and fees upfront, and receive decisions within published timelines. Electronic signatures should also reduce unnecessary visits, costs and delays," said the PSST. Through UDB's Sh150 billion Local Contractors Financing Initiative, Government is supporting indigenous contractors with affordable financing, equipment and capacity development. Of the Shs 59.03 billion approved, Shs 24.89 billion had been disbursed. The PSST called for the constraints between approval and disbursement to be addressed, saying: “We must understand and address the constraints between approval and disbursement so that financing translates into completed work.” @rggoobi called for an action matrix identifying each constraint, the required reform, responsible institution, delivery deadline and measurable result. “We should measure success of this Forum when businesses experience faster services, lower costs and greater certainty,” he said.

3RD DOING BUSINESS FORUM: PROGRESS REPORT ON PRIVATE SECTOR CONCERNS RAISED IN 2025 The Forum is a public-private dialogue platform through which Government communicates interventions aimed at lowering the cost of doing business, while the private sector highlights operational bottlenecks and proposes practical solutions to inform the FY2027/28 budget. Opening the Forum, Ms. Dianah Nannono, Head of the Private Sector Development Unit, provided an update on Government's response to concerns raised at the 2nd Doing Business Forum in 2025. On product certification, Government increased funding to the Uganda National Bureau of Standards (UNBS) from Shs 55.9 billion in FY2024/25 to Shs 133 billion in FY2025/26. A further Shs 130 billion was allocated in FY2026/27 to support certification, standards enforcement, laboratory operations and trade facilitation. UNBS has also recruited 100 additional staff and invested in regional laboratories, modern testing equipment and digitalisation. To address the cost of electricity access, Government reduced connection charges under the rural electrification programme from Shs 700,000 to Shs 30,000 for connections requiring no poles, and from Shs 1.8 million to Shs 30,000 for one-pole connections. Government has also achieved an off-peak electricity tariff of US$0.05 per kilowatt-hour for extra-large consumers using more than 1.5 megawatts. On industrial park infrastructure, Government increased funding for the Manufacturing Programme from Shs 312 billion in FY2025/26 to Shs 1.03 trillion in FY2026/27. At Namanve Industrial Park, infrastructure works covering approximately 45 kilometres of roads, bridges, drainage, electricity distribution, water, sewerage and ICT had reached 82% completion by September 2026, with completion expected by December 30, 2026. At Mbale Industrial Park, Government approved Shs 146.39 billion for FY2026/27 to support internal roads, drainage and electricity infrastructure. Road works had reached 50%, while water supply and sewerage stood at 40%. At Kapeeka Industrial Park, road construction had reached 29%, while a contractor had been procured for the power substation. Nannono noted that construction is a foundational enabler of Uganda's ambition to grow into a US$500 billion economy by 2040. The value chain supports investments across agro-processing, industrial parks, tourism, real estate, housing, transport infrastructure and other productive sectors. She cited ongoing investments, including KCCA's upgrading of more than 78 kilometres of roads, a US$140 million African Development Bank facility supporting irrigation and agro-industrialisation in Bunyoro, and development of a 320-million-litre fuel terminal in Mpigi. She emphasised that these investments present opportunities for local contractors, engineers, transporters, farmers and manufacturers, adding that the challenge is to strengthen the capacity of Ugandan firms to participate in contracts and deliver quality work on time and within budget. The Forum will continue to provide a platform for identifying practical reforms and strengthening collaboration between Government and the private sector to improve Uganda's business environment and accelerate economic transformation. #10FoldGrowth

WHAT FINANCE MINISTER SAID AT THE 3RD DOING BUSINESS FORUM The Finance Minister, @henrymusasizi1 has outlined Government's priorities for strengthening Uganda's construction value chain, focusing on simplifying building approvals, stronger local contractors, affordable long-term financing and improved accountability in public investment. Speaking at the 3rd Doing Business Forum at Mestil Hotel, Kampala, under the theme “Unlocking Uganda's Tenfold Growth through the Construction Value Chain: Regulatory Reform, Local Capacity and Infrastructure Investment,” Musasizi said Government will work with local governments to improve physical planning, simplify building approvals and uphold construction standards. He said Developers should know the requirements, costs and timelines for obtaining approvals to make it easier to build safely and predictably. The Minister said Government and the private sector will support Ugandan contractors to develop the skills, equipment and management capacity needed to deliver quality work. Musasizi also called for support towards innovations that make locally produced building materials more competitive to reduce construction costs. The objective is to enable more Ugandan firms and workers participate competitively in the construction value chain and retain more value in the domestic economy. With Uganda's housing deficit estimated at 2.4 million units, Musasizi said the demand will require private investment and financing that households and developers can afford. @henrymusasizi1 said @mofpedU will support the phased capitalisation of the National Housing and Construction Company, alongside private sector innovations aimed at lowering the cost of building. He also said Government will continue investing in roads, electricity, water and other essential services, including in Greater Kampala, to support construction and create an enabling environment for private investment. Musasizi said Government will also advance digitisation and procurement reforms to strengthen accountability, curb corruption and protect value for money in public investments. He challenged the Forum to identify practical changes that will reduce the cost and time of building, help Ugandan firms win and deliver contracts, and attract long-term investment. He called for each proposal to specify the responsible institution and what it can deliver within a clear timeframe. The recommendations from this Forum are expected to inform the next Budget, the medium term and Government's reform priorities. #10FoldGrowth

GERMANY COMMITS €50M GRANT TO UGANDA FOR DEVELOPMENT PROJECTS Germany has committed €50 million in grants to Uganda to support development interventions in water, electricity, agribusiness, local economic development and refugee-hosting communities, following the conclusion of two days of Government-to-Government negotiations in Kampala on November 3, 2026. The commitment comprises €30 million in Financial Cooperation and €20 million in Technical Cooperation, reinforcing a bilateral partnership spanning more than 60 years. Of the new support, €35 million (70%) will go towards water and electricity, while €10 million (20%) will support agribusiness and local economies. The remaining €5 million will support refugee participation and host communities, among other areas. The Finance Minister @henrymusasizi1 said the interventions are aligned with Uganda's National Development Plan IV and Tenfold Growth Strategy, which aims to grow the economy to US$500 billion by 2040 through Agro-Industrialisation, Tourism, Minerals, and Science, Technology and Innovation (ATMS). “We appreciate this support. It comes at a time when resources for overseas development support are under pressure across Europe given the on-going global challenges,” Musasizi said. He welcomed the €35 million allocation to water and electricity, describing these as important enablers of the ATMS agenda. He also called on German investors to explore opportunities in production, processing, exports and skilled job creation, proposing structured engagements to identify bankable investment opportunities. The negotiations also earmarked €18 million for the electrification of West Nile, which is expected to serve enterprises and farms in a region that trades with eastern Democratic Republic of the Congo and South Sudan. Musasizi further asked Germany to support Uganda's efforts to mobilise financing for railway development, irrigation and electricity through the World Bank, African Development Bank and other multilateral institutions. The Head of the German Delegation, Joachim Schmitt, who also heads the Central and East Africa Division at Germany's Federal Ministry for Economic Cooperation and Development, said the cooperation would support Uganda's ambition to graduate from Least Developed Country (LDC) status. “Our development cooperation will actively support this strategy, while being fully aligned to the Ugandan Vision 2040, its '10-fold growth strategy', including the ATMS priorities, as well as the 'National Development Plan IV',” Schmitt said. He emphasised increased participation of Ugandan, German and European enterprises in unlocking economic potential, creating jobs and supporting Uganda's development. He also commended Uganda's refugee-hosting policies, reaffirming Germany's continued focus on West Nile and support for refugees and host communities. German Ambassador to Uganda, H.E. Sigrid Sommer, said the new commitments build on more than six decades of cooperation that have delivered tangible results. “With these additional bilateral commitments, Germany remains a strong partner of Uganda and its people.” Sommer said the outcome of the negotiations provides a basis for development cooperation over the next two years, aligned with Uganda's strategies and priorities. She noted that Germany accounts for nearly 25% of EU funding and reaffirmed her country's commitment to supporting Uganda alongside partners, including GIZ and KfW. She emphasised that development cooperation,trade and investment are complementary parts of the partnership, adding that Germany remains committed to presenting business opportunities to enhance trade and investment with Uganda.

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In the Press📌📌📌 #StrongFundamentals #DoingMore