• Uganda
  • Resources
  • Market Information
  • Access to Markets

Quick information guide

Despite being landlocked, Uganda has a lot of potentials in a range of sectors. The three main are:

  • Agriculture - composed of forestry, livestock farming and aquaculture, it contributes about 32% to GDP 
  • Industry - driven mostly by manufacturing, mining and quarrying and more recently, boosted by increased activities in the oil and gas sector, it now contributes almost 20% of GDP 
  • Services - made up of financial, trade, transport and telecommunication activities, it is the largest, contributing 48%t to GDP 

Around 72% of country’s GDP is from Agriculture forestry, fishing and services sectors (UBOS, 2018)

High performance

  • Uganda tops the list of countries with the highest percentages of female entrepreneurs worldwide
  • 34.8% of businesses in Uganda are owned by women
  • 90.5% of business women seek to borrow or set aside funds to start a business

See  Mastercard Index of Women Entrepreneurs, 2018 for more!

Key facts:

  • Ugandan women comprise a big number of the economically active population,
  • Many women are involved in trade,
  • Uganda market remains male dominated.

Important action

Avail of information on markets for this big number of the population to promote businesses as well as job creation

For more information, contact Uganda Investment Authority

The Investment Center 
Twed Plaza, Plot 22B, Lumumba Avenue, Nakasero
+256 414 301 000
info@ugandainvest.go.ug
https://www.ugandainvest.go.ug

Access to markets in Uganda

Uganda is a resource rich country with large reserves of recoverable oil and it has substantial quantities of mineral deposits. With its fertile soils, regular rainfall, and warm temperatures throughout the year, agriculture is the country’s economic backbone with more than 72% of the country’s labour force engaged in the sector. 

Uganda’s future economic development strategy focuses on the following factors: industrialisation, economic liberalisation and diversification as well as economic integration. 

Stability of the Ugandan Shilling 

Uganda’s currency is stable in the short term and it is likely to appreciate in the medium to long term, mainly because of increased dollar inflows from export revenues driven by coffee export receipts, inward portfolio investment, tourism, private transfers and remittances as well as anticipated oil production. The potential external risks that could have an impact on Uganda’s shilling include global trade policies, uncertainties arising from trade tensions and emerging geopolitical risks. 

Trade Profile 

The African continent is the main destination for Uganda’s exports, followed by Europe and the Middle East. In 2017, total exports to the African continent stood at US$2,05bn, accounting for 59.5% of exports. 

Europe is Uganda’s main export market, accounting for 17.4% in 2017. The major destinations for Ugandan exports in the EU bloc in 2017 were Italy, Belgium, Netherlands, Spain and Germany. 

The main export destination in the Middle East sub-continent is United Arab Emirates. 

In Asia, the main export destinations being India, Hong Kong and China, according to the Uganda Bureau of Statistics. 

Uganda’s market access is greatly enhanced by the fact that it is a member of regional economic communities and other multi- lateral arrangements,

Accelerated regional co-operation has resulted in an increase in Uganda’s export volumes to other African countries. The bulk of exports are destined for members of the Common Market for Eastern and Southern Africa (COMESA), with the rest going to the European Union .

For more information from the Uganda Investment Authority: A Practical Guide to Doing Business in Uganda 

About Uganda

General information

Regional Integration Implementation Programme (RIIP)

Enhances Uganda’s capacity to integrate and harness regional economic opportunities presented by COMESA-EAC-SADC tripartite agreement.

Uganda Commodity Exchange Limited (UCE)

Aims to establish a market that brings value to its members and the general trading public