Inspire Africa Group announces strategic investment in Uganda’s coffee value chain
The Africa Coffee Park, as it is known, is being developed by IAG on 150 acres of land in Ntungamo district, and will employ cutting-edge freeze-drying technology to produce premium instant and ready-to-drink coffee for export
KAMPALA, September 23, 2025 – A bold new initiative by Inspire Africa Group [IAG] is set to transform Uganda’s coffee industry and redefine its position in the global coffee market. The company is establishing a state-of-the-art Coffee Industrial Park in Ntungamo district, which will house the largest coffee processing plant in Eastern and Central Africa.
The Africa Coffee Park, as it is known, is being developed by IAG on 150 acres of land in Ntungamo district, and will employ cutting-edge freeze-drying technology to produce premium instant and ready-to-drink coffee for export. The facility will produce a range of products including instant coffee, ground coffee, roasted coffee, coffee energy drinks, and coffee-based cosmetics, with a projected annual output of 15,000 metric tonnes.
The Park will also host a 4,000-seater Sports Complex, a 1,000-seater Convention Centre, a Business Centre, a Coffee Academy, an Exhibition Centre, and an IT park designed to position Uganda as a key player in Africa’s Artificial Intelligence landscape.
Explaining the the vision behind the project in his latest opinion piece, Nelson Tugume, CEO of IAG, highlights the vast gap between Africa’s contribution to the global coffee supply and its earnings. “While the global coffee industry is valued at over US$ 460 billion, Africa earns a mere US$ 2.5 billion, primarily from exporting raw green beans,” Tugume noted. “A kilogramme of green coffee sells for just US$ 2.5, yet when processed and packaged, the same amount can fetch US$ 40.”
To address this value gap, Tugume says IAG has launched the Africa Renaissance Mission, a campaign aimed at increasing Uganda’s coffee revenue from US$ 1 billion to US$ 5 billion within five years. Of this, US$ 4 billion is expected from coffee exports, and US$ 1 billion from an emerging sector: coffee tourism.
Coffee tourism strategy to boost exports and brand visibility
Central to the Africa Renaissance Mission is the Coffee Tourism Experience Marketing strategy, which aims to reposition Ugandan coffee as a premium global product through storytelling and cultural immersion.
“People in the Global North don’t just consume coffee, they consume its story,” Tugume explains. “Our plan is to work with African icons, such as Tanzanian music star Diamond Platnumz, who has over 20 million followers online, to help tell the Ugandan coffee story to the world.”
Inspired by Rwanda’s successful “Visit Rwanda” partnership with European football clubs such as Arsenal and PSG, IAG plans to leverage influencer marketing to build emotional connections with international coffee consumers. The approach mirrors strategies used by Middle Eastern airlines like Fly Emirates and Qatar Airways, which improved their global image by sponsoring major football clubs.
The tourism drive includes plans to attract six million international visitors annually—up from the current 704,000—who will participate in coffee-centred experiences such as coffee marathons, festivals, concerts, business forums, barista competitions, and DJ shows.
If each tourist buys just 1.2 kilogrammes of Ugandan coffee during their visit, the Africa Coffee Park could distribute up to 7,200 metric tonnes of roasted coffee annually, dramatically expanding Uganda’s market presence.
Tugume added that even short-term visitors can have an economic impact. “A tourist spending a week in Uganda could consume around 200 grams of soluble coffee. If they take home a kilogramme and continue purchasing online or from local stores, we create a sustainable pipeline for repeat exports.”
From cash crop to global industry
The initiative aims to reframe how Africa engages with coffee—not just as a “cash crop” but as a full-scale industry. Tugume underscored that increasing the value of Uganda’s coffee requires pulling money from international economies into Uganda through high-value exports and tourism.
“This isn’t just about coffee. It’s about jobs, technology, global branding, and reversing the historical flow of wealth from the Global South to the Global North,” Tugume says.
Once complete, the Africa Coffee Park will stand as a flagship for Uganda’s industrialisation drive and a showcase of how value addition and creative marketing can elevate an entire sector. Through a combination of infrastructure, technology, tourism, and storytelling, Uganda is positioning itself to become a leader in the global coffee value chain.
https://thecooperator.news/ssenyonyi-urges-govt-to-stop-funding-inspire-africa-coffee/
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