Investment Must Translate Into Jobs and Tangible Economic Benefits
The Minister of Finance, Planning and Economic Development, Hon. Henry Musasizi, has called on the Uganda Investment Authority (UIA) to ensure that investment promotion delivers tangible and measurable benefits to Ugandans, with a strong focus on job creation, investor facilitation, local content, and the attraction of both domestic and foreign investment.
The Minister made the call during an entry meeting with the UIA Board, led by Board Chair Dr. Robert Kyamanywa, together with the Minister of State for Privatization and Investment, Hon. Amina Mukalazi. The meeting provided an opportunity for the Board and Management to present the Authority’s achievements, priorities and challenges in promoting investment, industrialisation and value addition.
Hon. Musasizi emphasised that the success of investment promotion should not be measured only by the number of licences issued or the value of investment commitments attracted. Investment must translate into jobs, increased production, value addition, technology and skills transfer, opportunities for local businesses and greater participation of Ugandans in the economy.
He urged UIA to align its investment promotion activities with the Government’s Ten-Fold Growth Strategy, prioritising productive and value-adding investments that can accelerate Uganda’s economic transformation. The Authority was encouraged to ensure that every investment facilitated contributes meaningfully to employment, industrial growth and improved livelihoods.
Presenting the Board’s priorities, Dr. Robert Kyamanywa said UIA is strengthening its focus on domestic investment while continuing to attract foreign investors. He noted that the Authority has strengthened its Department of Domestic Investment and undertaken mobilisation across the country to encourage Ugandans to transform their enterprises into manufacturing and value-addition businesses.
UIA has also profiled investment opportunities in regions including Greater Masaka and Gulu, creating a basis for identifying viable opportunities and mobilising Ugandan investors. Dr. Kyamanywa encouraged Ugandans to take advantage of Government-supported industrial parks, investment incentives and development finance institutions to expand productive businesses and participate more actively in economic transformation.
On investor facilitation, the Board reported progress in reducing the time required to obtain investment licences. The processing period has been reduced to 24 hours, from the previous 48-hour target, with UIA working towards reducing the turnaround time to less than 20 hours where possible. The Authority currently operates as a one-stop centre coordinating 15 Ministries, Departments and Agencies (MDAs) to facilitate access to Government services.
However, Hon. Musasizi stressed that investor facilitation must extend beyond licensing. UIA should maintain continuous engagement with investors, understand their operational challenges, support business expansion and ensure that investments deliver the jobs and economic opportunities envisaged.
Hon. Amina Mukalazi similarly called for stronger investor aftercare, urging UIA to maintain regular contact with businesses after licensing. She emphasised the need to understand investors’ operations, challenges and expansion plans, while ensuring that one-stop centres are fully operational and provide meaningful services throughout the investment cycle.
She also called for idle land within industrial parks to be identified and made available to potential investors for productive use, noting that land should contribute to economic activity rather than remain underutilised.
The Board also outlined plans to expand industrial parks while highlighting key constraints, including land titling, roads, power tariffs, electricity infrastructure, water and wastewater systems, as well as challenges at the Namanve wastewater treatment plant. It further identified the need for stronger digital systems and an electronic investment database to improve investment management, information sharing and investor services.
The engagements reinforced a clear message: Uganda’s investment agenda must be measured by results and impact. Success should be reflected in the jobs created, businesses supported, products manufactured, exports generated, local enterprises integrated into supply chains and value added to the economy.
UIA is therefore expected to move beyond attracting investment commitments and focus on ensuring that investments become productive engines of industrialisation, economic transformation and inclusive growth. Government remains committed to creating an enabling environment where both Ugandan and foreign investors can establish, expand and grow productive businesses that contribute meaningfully to Uganda’s development.