Uganda launches 3rd Regional Industrialisation Conference 2026
The official press launch took place at Serena Hotel in Kampala on Wednesday
KAMPALA, May 6, 2026 — The Private Sector Foundation Uganda [PSFU], in collaboration with the Ministry of Trade, Industry and Cooperatives [MTIC] and AGRA Africa, has officially launched the 3rd Annual Regional Industrialisation Conference 2026.
The official press launch took place at Serena Hotel in Kampala on Wednesday. The conference is scheduled for August 18–19, 2026, in Mbarara City, Western Uganda, under the theme: “Unlocking Industrial Competitiveness through Innovation and Regional Value Chain Integration.”
AGRA Head David Wozemba said the theme aligns with the organisation’s mission of transforming smallholder farming into a profitable enterprise that drives economic growth.
In remarks delivered on her behalf by Commissioner for Industry and Technology Denis Ainebyona, MTIC Permanent Secretary Lynette Bagonza noted that Uganda’s industrial sector is growing at an annual rate of 7 per cent and currently contributes 27.2 per cent to the country’s Gross Domestic Product [GDP].
She said local manufacturing industries have developed sufficient capacity to produce essential goods such as cement, steel, leather products and ceramics.
Bagonza reaffirmed the government’s commitment to advancing industrialisation as a key pillar of socio-economic transformation, adding that the conference theme reflects the urgent need to move from fragmented production systems to integrated, resilient and innovation-driven industrial ecosystems.
PSFU Chief Executive Officer Steven Asiimwe emphasised the importance of collaboration among government, the private sector and the media to address governance, investment and job creation in a practical, solution-oriented manner.
“After multiple election cycles across East Africa in recent years, can we now shift focus towards economic growth, industrialisation and unlocking real opportunities for our people?” Asiimwe said.
He urged government and development partners to strengthen their commitment to private sector-led growth, while calling on businesses to invest in viable projects, form strategic partnerships, scale innovations and promote technology transfer.
Asiimwe highlighted the region’s untapped potential, noting that East Africa’s population of over 400 million people, with access to a continental market of 1.4 billion under the African Continental Free Trade Area [AfCFTA], remains underutilised.
“We still export raw commodities and import finished goods made from our own resources. Coffee grown by our farmers but processed, packaged and branded abroad is a clear example of the paradox we must address,” he said.
The conference will feature a Presidential Roundtable, investment forums targeting more than US$500 million, and high-level policy dialogues aimed at accelerating industrial transformation across the region.
East African Business Council Chairman Simon Kaheru said the private sector is ready to invest and scale up operations but requires alignment on policy, financing and regional market access.
“Let us use these two days not for more discussions, but to close real deals and build industries that make East Africa competitive, resilient and prosperous,” he said.
EADB Country Manager Francis Ogwang described the conference as a strategic platform for development finance institutions to align with policymakers and private sector actors around a shared industrial agenda.
Meanwhile, Richard Jabo, Principal Economist at the Ministry of Finance, said the conference has evolved into a credible platform for structured action on industrialisation in East Africa.
“There is a strong need to move beyond dialogue to actionable interventions that directly drive growth and support Uganda’s long-term development vision to 2040,” he said.
President Yoweri Museveni is expected to officially open the conference, underscoring Uganda’s leadership in advancing regional value chains, innovation and sustainable industrial growth.
https://thecooperator.news/african-countries-urged-to-lead-own-industrialisation-path/
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