President Museveni has appointed Mr. Richard Byarugaba, former Managing Director of the National Social Security Fund (NSSF), and Mr. Moses Sabiti, former Country Director for Trademark Africa (Uganda and South Sudan), as Senior Presidential Advisors to the Exports and Industry Advisory Secretariat.
According to the appointment instructions, the two will serve as key advisors on exports financing, infrastructure development, data systems, and product aggregation, aimed at strengthening Uganda's export performance.
The appointments bolster the work of PACEID (Presidential Advisory Committee on Exports and Industrial Development), which was commissioned in March 2022 to address structural challenges affecting exports, including poor market access, standards and compliance gaps, high logistics costs, and limited access to financing.
PACEID has exceeded its initial export target of USD 6 billion, set four years ago, and is now pursuing an ambitious expansion strategy. The team aims to support the creation of 1,000 new export-oriented enterprises across the agricultural and industrial sectors, with a long-term target of USD 100 billion in exports by 2045.
Keep up with the latest headlines on WhatsApp | LinkedIn
"I thank the President for responding to our call to bring on board professional and experienced people to support our new approach to growing exports for Uganda," said Mr. Odrek Rwabwogo, Chairperson of PACEID.
He explained that the first phase of the initiative focused on market access and firm-level support.
"What we have done in the last four years is PACEID 1.0--opening new markets, removing trade barriers, supporting export firms in key sectors, improving compliance standards, and cultivating a strong image of Uganda as a reliable sourcing centre."
Mr. Rwabwogo added that the team is now rolling out PACEID 2.0, which will prioritize data-driven planning, establishment of product aggregation centres to respond to growing demand and supply constraints, and mobilizing financing for value addition investments within these centres.
Mr. Byarugaba previously led Nile Bank before its acquisition by Barclays Bank and later headed NSSF, where he transformed the fund from an underperforming institution into a highly capitalized entity. Under his leadership, NSSF's assets grew to over Shs 17 trillion.
Mr. Sabiti brings extensive experience from the public and development sectors, having served as a senior manager at the Uganda Revenue Authority (URA) for 17 years before leading Trademark Africa. During his tenure, he mobilized funding for the construction of key border trade and immigration facilities in Kasese, Elegu, and Malaba.
Sign up for free AllAfrica Newsletters
Get the latest in African news delivered straight to your inbox
Together, the two appointees bring deep expertise in exports, finance, trade facilitation, and infrastructure development, strengthening the government's push to accelerate industrialization and export-led growth.
