The Head of the State House Investors Protection Unit (SHIPU), Col. Edith Nakalema, has reaffirmed Uganda’s dedication to supporting and protecting investor interests, emphasizing the government’s commitment to maintaining a conducive and thriving investment climate in the country.
Nakalema made the remarks today during a meeting with members of the Netherlands – Uganda Trade and Investment Platform (NUTIP) at SHIPU offices in Kampala.
She highlighted that the unit works in close collaboration with government Ministries, Departments, and Agencies (MDAs) to ensure investor confidence in Uganda remains at an all-time high.
“Collaborating with MDAs to maintain investor confidence levels in Uganda is the raison d’etre of SHIPU. This move was, and continues to be, the President’s reassurance to investors,” Nakalema said.
NUTIP is an Ugandan association that fosters economic cooperation between Dutch and Ugandan entrepreneurs.
The meeting was attended by key government agencies, including the Ministry of Finance, Planning and Economic Development, Ministry of Trade, Industry and Cooperatives, Uganda Investment Authority (UIA), Uganda Revenue Authority (URA), Uganda Registration Services Bureau (URSB), and Kampala Capital City Authority (KCCA).
The discussions focused on reassuring investors of the government’s support for their business ventures and addressing issues raised by the association.
Nakalema highlighted Uganda’s strong position as an investment destination.
“By investing in Uganda, you have chosen the best investment destination. Uganda was consistently named Africa’s top investment destination by AIM UAE in both 2023 and 2024, and also won the Investment Catalyst Award at the Go Global Awards in 2023 by the International Trade Council,” she said.
She further assured investors that all challenges would be addressed to create an even more thriving business environment. Nakalema also commended the Embassy of the Kingdom of the Netherlands for promoting modern agricultural practices through the “Best Farmers” annual agribusiness study tour to the Netherlands, a program that has run for over a decade.
“The Netherlands has extensive experience in agriculture, and its location at the confluence of two major rivers makes it an agricultural powerhouse. Uganda, as an agricultural economy, stands to gain significantly from partnerships that commercialize agriculture,” she said.
The Deputy Ambassador of the Kingdom of the Netherlands to Uganda, Bouwe-Jan Smeding, thanked Nakalema for organizing the meeting, emphasizing the importance of such engagements in resolving investor challenges.
“Businesses thrive when stakeholders understand how systems work. Despite a conducive investment climate, challenges such as disputes still exist and can discourage investment,” he said.
He also highlighted that the Netherlands remains the largest source of Foreign Direct Investment (FDI) in Uganda.
The Director of Economic Affairs at the Ministry of Finance, Planning and Economic Development, Moses Kaggwa, assured investors of Uganda’s steady economic growth.
“It’s an opportune time to invest in Uganda as the country experiences significant takeoff. Uganda is one of the fastest-growing economies globally and is moving towards lower middle-income status. We have also managed to keep inflation under control, below 4 percent,” he said.
Kaggwa shared the government’s ambitious Tenfold Growth Strategy, which aims to increase Uganda’s GDP from Shs 235.6 trillion (USD 62 billion) to Shs 1,900 trillion (USD 500 billion) by 2040. He emphasized that the government is ready to adjust policies and remove bottlenecks where necessary to facilitate business operations.
From the Ministry of Trade, Industry and Cooperatives, Cleopas Ndorere, Commissioner in Charge of External Trade, assured investors of full support to enable smooth trade.
“We have negotiated markets both within and around Uganda to make trade possible,” he said.
Isaac Mugerwa, NUTIP Board Member, noted that the association, which began operations in 2013 and currently has 75 members, continues to promote trade and investment between Uganda and the Netherlands. He praised SHIPU for responding promptly to a long-standing concern raised by the association within just two days.
During the meeting, investors raised concerns about being redirected among government agencies, such as URA. In response, Julian Sabiiti from URA confirmed that the authority has established a Stakeholder Relations Office to resolve such matters efficiently.
The meeting underscored Uganda’s commitment to creating a secure and investor-friendly environment while promoting partnerships that drive economic growth