Uganda's Minister of Trade, Industry and Cooperatives, Sanjay Tanna, has called for stronger investment in value addition, manufacturing, innovation and skills to accelerate the country's economic transformation.
Tanna was speaking at the 2026 Uganda-Rwanda Trade and Investment Roadshow organised by Equity Group, which has brought together more than 150 business leaders, investors, policymakers and private-sector players from 10 nationalities.
The roadshow is aimed at strengthening economic ties and creating opportunities for cross-border trade and investment by connecting businesses with capital, markets, technology and strategic partnerships.
Tanna commended Equity Bank for supporting entrepreneurs and transforming access to financial services, urging the bank to deepen its support for micro, small and medium enterprises, particularly those operating outside major urban centres.
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"I encourage Equity to build on this legacy in Uganda by going deeper into our communities, strengthening financial literacy and bookkeeping among small and micro businesses, and helping them access the finance and markets they need to grow," Tanna said.
He added that government is ready to work with financial institutions to reduce barriers to investment, lower the cost of capital and create an environment where businesses can expand and create jobs.
The roadshow is focusing on key sectors including agriculture, mining, manufacturing, trade and the coffee value chain.
Equity Bank Uganda Executive Director Claver Serumaga said the initiative is intended to move beyond financing by connecting businesses to markets, technology and partnerships needed to scale across East Africa.
"Uganda does not lack opportunity; what we need is to connect that opportunity to the right capital, markets, technology and partnerships," Serumaga said.
He said Uganda must move beyond exporting raw products and focus on processing, technology, branding and access to regional and global markets to retain more value locally.
The programme also features a Uganda Coffee Value Chain Roundtable involving major industry players, including Neumann Kaffee Gruppe and Volcafe, as well as business networking sessions and site visits.
Equity Group Associate Director of Trade Relations, Mahvish Malik, said trade missions help businesses understand markets and establish partnerships that can translate into investment, sourcing and market access.
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The business forum also featured a panel discussion involving government and private-sector experts, including Georgina Mugerwa, Assistant Commissioner for Multilateral Trade; Dr. Cosmas Mwikirize, Head of Industrial Value Chains Innovation; and Ronnie Mulongo, a private-sector leader.
Delegates will visit businesses including Zigoti Coffee Farm, JNL Industries and Roofings Uganda Limited before the Uganda leg concludes on September 16, when participants will travel from Entebbe to Kigali, Rwanda.
