Three Years of SHIPU: Experts challenge Uganda to turn investment inflows into real economic impact
The call was made during a stakeholder engagement organised to examine ways of improving investor protection, strengthening institutional coordination and removing bottlenecks that continue to hinder investment flows.
The State House Investors Protection Unit (SHIPU) has called for a stronger focus on the quality and impact of investments entering Uganda, as the unit marks three years of service.
The call was made during a stakeholder engagement organised to examine ways of improving investor protection, strengthening institutional coordination and removing bottlenecks that continue to hinder investment flows.
The engagement, chaired by Prof. Pamela Mbabazi Chairperson of the National Planning Authority (NPA), brought together key stakeholders to discuss practical measures for creating a more efficient, predictable and investor-friendly business environment.
Prof. Mbabazi challenged stakeholders to look beyond the volume of investment attracted into the country and examine what such investments deliver to the economy.
“What kind of investment are we attracting? Where is it going? And what is it transforming?” she asked.
She said Uganda should place greater emphasis on realised investment, job creation, exports, technology transfer, domestic enterprise growth and the removal of systemic bottlenecks that frustrate investors.
“Uganda must move beyond simply attracting investment to curating investment that drives national transformation,” Prof. Mbabazi said.
Focus on Quality, Not Investment Volume
Prof. Edward Bbaale, Principal of the Makerere University College of Business and Management Sciences, similarly urged Uganda to assess investments based on their economic impact rather than the amount of capital committed.
He said investors should be evaluated on whether their businesses generate jobs, facilitate technology transfer, purchase inputs locally and contribute to exports.
“Does it generate jobs? Does it lead to technology transfer? Does it purchase inputs locally? Does it generate exports?” Bbaale asked.
He said investment should ultimately translate into increased productivity, enterprise growth, stronger exports and improved welfare for Ugandans.
Tackling Investment Bottlenecks
The meeting also highlighted governance and institutional challenges that can undermine investor confidence.
Brig. Gen. Henry Isoke, Head of the Anti-Corruption Unit, pointed to gold and land fraud, procurement scams, financial fraud and delays in the administration of justice as some of the challenges frustrating investors.
He called for stronger collaboration among government agencies and faster action in addressing cases that create uncertainty for businesses.
According to Isoke, removing such bottlenecks is critical to unlocking investment opportunities and strengthening confidence in Uganda’s business environment.
The engagement comes as Uganda seeks to attract investment capable of supporting structural transformation, with stakeholders increasingly emphasising the need to move from measuring investment success by capital inflows alone to assessing its contribution to jobs, local businesses, exports, technology and productivity.
The discussions marked three years of SHIPU’s service and renewed the focus on creating an investment environment where both domestic and foreign investors can operate with greater predictability while delivering measurable benefits to the wider economy.
