FAMReports News Desk | April 2026
The Ministry of Trade, Industry and Cooperatives has outlined a set of strategic pillars aimed at improving service delivery, accessibility, and efficiency as part of efforts to strengthen its mandate and support Uganda’s economic transformation.
The strategy was presented during a Ministry of Trade symposium held in Mbale under the theme enhancing service accessibility, with a strong focus on export promotion, trade facilitation, value addition and industrialization, quality assurance, commercial service delivery, and product research and innovation.
Industrial Policy and Infrastructure Gaps
During the first session, the Commissioner for Industry and Innovation, Denis Ainebyona, highlighted Uganda’s National Industrial Policy under the Fourth National Development Plan. He revealed that the government has planned the establishment of 27 industrial parks and over 730 shared agro processing facilities targeting small and medium enterprises.
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Ainebyona emphasized the critical role of local governments in accelerating industrialization by ensuring access to essential infrastructure such as land, roads, electricity, and water. He noted that without these enablers, the full potential of industrial parks and agro processing hubs cannot be realized.
Challenges Facing MSME
Under the business development and quality assurance session, Assistant Commissioner John Abitekaniza pointed out a significant gap in access to business development services, particularly in rural areas. He revealed that approximately 70 percent of micro, small, and medium enterprises lack access to such services, contributing to the high failure rate of startups within their first two years.
To address this challenge, the ministry is in the process of establishing a national business development services database. This system is expected to improve tracking, formalization, and targeted support for MSMEs across the country.
Strategic Pillars for Transformation
In remarks delivered on behalf of the Permanent Secretary, Lynnette Bagonza, Under Secretary Deogratius Masagazi outlined four key strategic pillars that will guide the ministry’s interventions.
The first pillar focuses on digital governance systems aimed at eliminating bureaucratic inefficiencies and improving service delivery timelines. The second pillar emphasizes decentralization, with commercial officers equipped with motorcycles to extend services to remote communities at parish level.
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The third pillar targets the empowerment of cooperatives and MSMEs through value addition initiatives and access to standards certification, enabling businesses to compete effectively in both local and international markets. The fourth pillar promotes the Buy Uganda Build Uganda initiative, designed to expand market opportunities for locally produced goods.
Masagazi noted that the symposium provides a platform for dialogue and strategic alignment between policymakers and private sector players, ensuring that government services are accessible to all, from large scale industrialists to smallholder farmers.
Strengthening Regional Collaboration
The symposium also aimed to enhance the visibility of ministry programs and their relevance to businesses in the Bugisu and Bukedi sub regions. It further sought to strengthen collaboration between local governments, the private sector, and the Sino Uganda Mbale Industrial Park to create a more integrated and efficient business ecosystem.
As Uganda continues to prioritize industrialization and private sector growth, the ministry’s strategic pillars signal a coordinated effort to bridge service delivery gaps, improve business support systems, and unlock economic opportunities across the country.
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