Investment authority tasked to turn investment into jobs and industrial growth

Finance Minister Henry Musasizi has challenged the Uganda Investment Authority (UIA) to shift the focus of investment promotion beyond licences and headline investment figures to measurable economic outcomes, including jobs, local content, manufacturing, exports and value addition.

Musasizi made the call during an entry meeting with the UIA Board, led by Board Chair Dr Robert Kyamanywa, together with Minister of State for Privatization and Investment Amina Mukalazi.

The Minister said investment must play a direct role in delivering the Government’s Ten-Fold Growth Strategy by expanding productive capacity, creating employment and increasing the participation of Ugandans in economic activity.

He urged UIA to place job creation, investor facilitation, local content and the attraction of both domestic and foreign investment at the centre of its mandate.

“Investment must go beyond licenses and headline figures to deliver employment, increased production, value addition and greater participation of Ugandans,” Musasizi said.

The directive comes as Uganda seeks to attract more private capital while ensuring that investment translates into tangible benefits for the wider economy.

Focus shifts to domestic investors

Dr Kyamanywa said UIA is strengthening its focus on domestic investment as part of efforts to encourage Ugandans to participate more actively in manufacturing and value addition.

The Authority is undertaking nationwide mobilisation and profiling investment opportunities, including in Greater Masaka and Gulu, with the aim of connecting potential local investors to viable opportunities.

The strategy reflects growing emphasis on domestic capital as a complement to foreign direct investment, particularly in sectors capable of expanding Uganda’s productive base.

Kyamanywa also reported improvements in investor facilitation, saying investment licences are now being processed within 24 hours, compared with the previous 48-hour target.

The Authority is seeking to reduce the turnaround time further, with an ambition of processing licences in less than 20 hours where possible.

The faster licensing process is intended to reduce administrative delays and improve Uganda’s competitiveness as an investment destination.

Industrial parks face infrastructure constraints

The UIA Board also outlined plans to expand industrial parks, while highlighting infrastructure and land-related challenges that continue to affect their development.

Among the constraints identified are land titling, road infrastructure, power tariffs, inadequate supporting infrastructure, water supply and wastewater management.

The Board also raised concerns over challenges affecting the Namanve wastewater treatment plant, which is important for supporting industrial activity in one of Uganda’s major industrial areas.

The availability and cost of infrastructure remain critical considerations for investors, particularly manufacturers whose operations depend on reliable electricity, transport networks, water and waste management systems.

UIA also identified the need to strengthen its digital systems and establish a comprehensive electronic database to improve investment management and investor services.

Such systems would enable the Authority to better track investors, monitor projects and respond to challenges affecting businesses after they have entered the market.

Investor aftercare takes centre stage

Minister Mukalazi called for stronger investor aftercare, arguing that UIA’s relationship with businesses should not end once an investment licence has been issued.

She urged the Authority to maintain engagement with investors, understand the challenges they face and support businesses seeking to expand operations and create more jobs.

The Minister also called for one-stop centres to be fully operational and provide meaningful services to investors rather than functioning primarily as administrative structures.

Effective aftercare is increasingly important as Uganda seeks to retain existing investors and encourage them to reinvest and expand.

For businesses already operating in the country, resolving challenges related to land, utilities, taxation, infrastructure, approvals and access to services can be as important as attracting new investors.

The engagement therefore placed greater emphasis on the quality and sustainability of investment rather than simply the volume of investment commitments announced.

From investment attraction to economic transformation

Uganda’s investment agenda is increasingly being measured against its ability to deliver productive economic activity.

For UIA, this means ensuring that investment commitments translate into operational factories, expanded enterprises, increased production, stronger local supply chains, exports and employment opportunities.

The emphasis on local content is particularly significant as Government seeks to ensure that Ugandan businesses and workers capture a greater share of value generated by investments.

The meeting also highlighted the need for closer alignment between investment promotion and industrial policy, particularly in manufacturing and value addition.

As Uganda pursues its Ten-Fold Growth Strategy, the challenge for UIA will be to convert the country’s investment potential into productive enterprises capable of generating sustained economic growth.

The message from the Finance Ministry was clear: investment should not be measured simply by the number of licences issued or the value of commitments announced, but by the jobs created, goods produced, exports generated and opportunities opened for Ugandans.

For UIA, the next phase will therefore be about turning investment facilitation into investment impact, and positioning private capital as a stronger engine of Uganda’s industrialisation and inclusive economic transformation.