Minister Mbadi urges local producers to prioritise product certification

MBARARA, July 29, 2025 –– The Minister of State for Trade, Wilson Mbasu Mbadi, has called on local producers/manufacturers to prioritise the certification of their products to enhance access to both domestic and international markets.

Speaking at the opening of the inaugural Regional Buy Uganda Build Uganda [BUBU] Trade Show at Independence Park in Mbarara City last week, Minister Mbadi emphasised the importance of product quality and certification through the Uganda National Bureau of Standards [UNBS],  a government parastatal which assists industrialists/manufacturers and producers to improve the quality of their products and services.

“Your aim should be to sustain production by offering goods that meet required standards. This not only builds consumer trust but also supports the growth of your business,” he said.

While noting a gradual increase in compliance with standards, the Minister expressed concern that a significant number of small and medium-sized enterprises [SMEs] continue to operate without certified products.

“If BUBU is to deliver meaningful results, our SMEs must work closely with UNBS and the National Drug Authority [NDA] to ensure their products are properly certified,” he added.

Minister Mbadi reaffirmed the government’s commitment to supporting local industrialists, including providing training and capacity-building for entrepreneurs to meet product quality standards.

In support of the BUBU policy, the Government of Uganda has significantly increased funding to Commercial Officers across the country, from Shs 2.8 billion to Shs 8.8 billion annually—to provide technical assistance to local producers and manufacturers.

“In the current financial year, the government has doubled the budget allocation to UNBS to enhance its ability to assist micro, small, and medium enterprises [MSMEs] in certifying their products,” the Minister revealed. “This funding will facilitate the establishment of additional laboratories across various regions.”

The trade show, organised by the Ministry of Trade, Industry, and Cooperatives (MTIC), aimed to bring together local producers in a unified marketplace, raise awareness of locally made products, and create strategic linkages between public and private sector actors.

More than 200 local producers exhibited a wide range of products, engaging clients, promoting brand visibility, and forming key industrial and business partnerships. Exhibitors represented sectors including furniture, food and beverages, arts and crafts, leather, wine, construction materials, pharmaceuticals, and dairy products, among others.

BUBU is a government policy that was approved by Cabinet in 2014 and launched in 2017 to promote the consumption and procurement of goods and services produced locally. It aims to encourage foreign and local investors to produce locally; improve capacity of local producers to supply government, enhance the quality and competitiveness on the local and International market, create jobs and drive the country to achieve middle Income status.

https://thecooperator.news/trade-ministry-to-host-inaugural-bubu-expo/

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