The National Trade Sector Review Conference (NTSC) 2026 officially opened on Wednesday, 4th March 2026 at Speke Resort Convention Centre, Munyonyo, bringing together government leaders, private sector actors, development partners, and regional institutions to reflect on Uganda’s trade progress and chart the path toward a USD 500 billion economy by 2040.
Convened by the Ministry of Trade, Industry and Cooperatives (MTIC) in partnership with TradeMark Africa and UK International Development, the conference is being held under the theme “Trade-Driven Transformation: Propelling Uganda to a $500B Economy by 2040.”
The two-day conference provides a national platform to review trade sector performance, assess policy and institutional reforms, and identify priority actions needed to strengthen Uganda’s competitiveness in regional and global markets.
Trade as a Driver of Uganda’s Economic Transformation
In his opening address, the Hon. Minister of Trade, Industry and Cooperatives, Hon. Francis Mwebesa reaffirmed that trade and industrialization remain central pillars of Uganda’s development strategy.
“Trade remains central to our country’s transformation agenda and is a critical driver of the Ten-Fold Growth Strategy aimed at expanding Uganda’s economy to USD 500 billion in the medium term.”
The Minister highlighted Uganda’s strong trade performance in recent years, noting that export earnings increased from approximately USD 5 billion in 2020 to over USD 13 billion in 2025.
Strengthening Implementation and Coordination in the Trade Sector
The Permanent Secretary of the Ministry of Trade, Industry and Cooperatives, Ms. Lynette Bagonza emphasized that the conference represents an opportunity for reflection, accountability, and alignment across institutions responsible for implementing Uganda’s trade agenda.
“This conference is not simply a technical exercise. It is an opportunity to account to the people of Uganda for the progress we have made and to openly discuss the challenges that remain.”
Trade Facilitation Reforms Unlocking Regional Market Opportunities
The Country Director of TradeMark Africa Uganda Chapter, Anna Nambooze highlighted the role of trade facilitation reforms in reducing the cost of doing business and improving cross-border trade efficiency.
She noted that the operationalization of One Stop Border Posts across the Northern Corridor has reduced border crossing times by nearly 70 percent and doubled trade traffic.
“Through digitizing trade processes such as the Uganda Electronic Single Window, export approval timelines have reduced by more than 30 percent, generating estimated annual savings of over USD 25 million for the private sector.”
Global Partnerships Supporting Uganda’s Trade Ambitions
The British High Commissioner to Uganda, H.E Lisa Chesney underscored the importance of partnerships in strengthening trade systems and enabling economic transformation.
“Let us focus on the last mile of trade policy implementation — ensuring that reforms translate into real opportunities for businesses, exporters, and entrepreneurs.”
Implementing Trade-Led Solutions to Scale Agro-industrial Value Chains
Representing the Private Sector, chair Person Uganda Agri Business Alliance, Victoria Sekitoleko challenged government to address the infrastructure gaps, that have increased the cost of doing business. “Issues like power fluctuations, bad roads, delays at the border crossings, should form the gist of the discussions in such review conferences. We have traders that spent 2 months at Elegu border, trying to cross to South Sudan. Many factories have resorted to operating at night because of the power fluctuations”
“We request government to upgrade infrastructure and update policies that provide ease of doing business” Said Manish Kara, CEO Tembo Steels
Looking Ahead
Over the next two days, the conference will host discussions on export competitiveness, regional integration, services trade expansion, trade facilitation, and digital trade systems.
The outcomes of the conference will inform policy priorities and reforms aimed at accelerating Uganda’s progress toward becoming a $500 billion economy by 2040.
