Economy
Uganda Courts American and Indian Investors with Promises of Incentives, Protection, and Market Access
Uganda is stepping up its charm offensive to attract global investment after Prime Minister Robinah Nabanja and Col. Edith Nakalema, head of the State House Investors Protection Unit (SHIPU), on Friday hosted high-level delegations of American and Indian investors in Kampala.
The meetings, held first at SHIPU headquarters and later at the Office of the Prime Minister, focused on trade, technology, agriculture, housing, finance, and infrastructure. The engagement comes as Uganda positions itself as one of Africa’s most attractive investment destinations, with the government promising streamlined processes, investor protections, and competitive incentives.
Speaking on behalf of President Yoweri Museveni, Nabanja praised Uganda’s natural resources and political stability as unmatched advantages.
“Uganda is gifted by nature and peaceful, and that makes us a very favorable country for investment,” she said, noting that a Dubai-based global agency had recently named Uganda the “most favorable investment destination.”
Nabanja outlined government incentives designed to attract investors, including a 10-year tax holiday, tax-free importation of value-addition machinery, and full repatriation of profits. She highlighted Uganda’s young, energetic workforce and its access to the 1.5 billion-strong African market under the African Continental Free Trade Area (AfCFTA).
She also invited investors to explore Uganda’s tourism, IT, automotive, pharmaceutical, and agribusiness sectors. “Uganda is the best tourism destination,” Nabanja said, stressing that improved infrastructure and regional integration are lowering the cost of doing business. She directed the Uganda Investment Authority (UIA) to fast-track facilitation so that visiting investors can begin operations within three months.
Col. Nakalema reassured the delegations of government’s commitment to protecting investments. She explained that SHIPU, created by President Museveni in 2023, was established to address investor concerns by eliminating bureaucratic delays through inter-agency coordination.
“The role of this unit is to coordinate with Ministries, Departments and Agencies to ensure that investors’ concerns are resolved without unnecessary delays which frustrate wealth creators,” Nakalema said. She underscored that private sector-led investment is critical for sustainable development, boosting GDP, and expanding Uganda’s tax base.
Nakalema further pointed to Uganda’s growing international recognition. The country was voted “Best Investment Destination in Africa” at the 13th AIM Investment Awards in Abu Dhabi, topped the East African Community in Oxford Economics’ 2023 Africa Risk-Reward Index, and won the Greatest Investment Catalyst award at the 2023 Go Global Awards in Rhode Island. She noted that SHIPU’s Electronic Investors Protection Portal ensures transparency by providing credible information, reporting mechanisms, and enforcement channels for investor safety.
The visiting investors expressed strong interest in Uganda. Dr. J. A. Chowdary, chairman of the Blockchain Committee of the Bureau of Indian Standards, pledged to bring more investors and revealed plans for a pro-bono, IT-powered traffic management system for Kampala. Chowdary, a co-founder of Portal Player — the company that designed the chip and software for Apple’s iPods — also promised to bring a Global AI Conference with over 300 industry leaders to Uganda in 2026.
Sri Atluri, President and CEO of Quality Engineering Foundation (USA), voiced enthusiasm for strengthening bilateral ties, while Dr. Siva Mahesh Tangutooru, co-founder of IndBhoomi Agro Products Africa, committed over $200 million in upcoming investments aimed at creating jobs in agriculture and processing.
Ravi Daparthi, co-founder and Global CTO of Signitives (USA), said his firm was ready to deploy state-of-the-art e-systems to improve service delivery in Uganda’s ICT sector. Meanwhile, Krishan Charan Singh, founder and CEO of an essential oils processing venture, revealed his company is already cultivating lemongrass on 1,000 acres for commercial processing.
Ugandan officials, including UIA’s Peter Muramira, pledged to fully support the investors, while former Attorney General Fred Ruhindi, former Ethics and Integrity Minister Dr. Nsaba Buturo, and Gateway Uganda founder Daniel Nsaba Buturo joined the discussions as senior advisers.
As Uganda seeks to position itself as an investment hub in Africa, the government hopes that these new partnerships with American and Indian investors will unlock fresh capital, create thousands of jobs, and integrate Ugandan industries into global value chains.
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