Members of UMA, led by Barbara Mulwana, unveiled UGITF 2026 at their headquarters in Lugogo, Kampala today, 3rd September 2026
HABARI DAILY I Kampala, Uganda I The 32nd Uganda International Trade Fair (UGITF 2026) is shaping up as more than a ten-day exhibition, with the Uganda Manufacturers Association (UMA) positioning the event as an important economic marketplace for expanding markets, creating jobs and accelerating Uganda’s industrialisation agenda.
Scheduled for October 2-11, 2026 at the UMA Show Grounds in Lugogo, the fair will bring together more than 1,000 exhibitors from over 30 countries and is expected to attract at least 150,000 visitors under the theme “Formalizing Trade to Secure Uganda’s Economic Future.”
At the heart of the economic case for the fair is manufacturing, a sector that contributes up to 16.5 per cent of Uganda’s Gross Domestic Product, directly employs more than 1.3 million people and generates about $2.9 billion in exports.
The wider industrial sector accounted for 24.1 per cent of GDP in the 2025/26 financial year, while manufacturers are estimated to contribute more than Shs5 trillion in taxes and consume close to 70 per cent of the country’s electricity demand.
For UMA, these figures demonstrate why creating additional markets for locally manufactured goods has consequences far beyond individual businesses.
Every new market for a Ugandan product potentially supports employment, increases tax revenues, stimulates demand for agricultural raw materials, strengthens domestic supply chains and justifies further investment in energy and industrial infrastructure.
Aga Sekalala Jr, the UMA chairman, said the fair would be particularly important in helping businesses transition from informal operations into enterprises capable of competing in wider markets.
“Formalization is not only about registration or taxation; it is about making enterprises visible, bankable, standards-compliant and ready to grow. The Trade Fair will help businesses move from informal transactions to structured partnerships and wider markets.”
The fair is expected to generate more than Shs10 billion in onsite sales and commercial transactions, although UMA says the immediate sales represent only part of its economic value.
Long after the exhibition closes, businesses could benefit from distributorship agreements, supply contracts, investment leads, technology partnerships and export relationships established during the event.
This makes UGITF a temporary marketplace where manufacturers can not only display products but also test consumer demand, receive feedback and identify opportunities for expansion.
The fair’s significance also extends to Uganda’s long-term development strategy. It is being positioned as a delivery platform for NDP IV and the country’s ambition of building a $500 billion economy by 2040.
Manufacturing sits at the intersection of several priority areas in that ambition. It provides the mechanism for converting agricultural produce into processed foods and beverages, minerals and oil and gas into higher-value products, and scientific and technological innovations into commercially viable goods and services.
The trade fair therefore gives practical expression to the idea that industrialisation requires functioning markets alongside production capacity.
Its regional dimension is equally important. The East African Community accounted for about 30 per cent of Uganda’s total exports in the 12 months to April 2025 and about 88 per cent of the country’s exports to African markets.
Bringing Ugandan manufacturers together with regional and international businesses creates opportunities for cross-border sourcing, technology transfer, joint ventures and access to markets within the EAC, COMESA and the African Continental Free Trade Area.
The evolution of UGITF itself reflects Uganda’s expanding industrial base. From fewer than 50 exhibitors in the early 1990s, the event has grown into one of East Africa’s established platforms for industrial development, trade and investment.
Its 32nd edition is expected to accommodate large manufacturers and multinational companies while deliberately creating space for SMEs, cooperatives, SACCOs, start-ups, youth enterprises and innovators.
The event will cover sectors including agro-processing, food and beverages, agricultural machinery, textiles, pharmaceuticals, cosmetics, steel, construction materials, plastics, electrical and electronic products, ICT, energy, automobiles, tourism and education.
Six dedicated pavilions will further strengthen its economic focus. The Agricultural Pavilion will connect more than 200 industrialists, farmers, cooperatives and SACCOs around value addition and supply chains, while the SME and Financing Pavilions will connect growing enterprises to business support and capital.
The Education Pavilion will expose learners to STEM, industrial skills and locally developed innovations, while the Textile Pavilion will highlight opportunities across the fibre-to-fashion value chain.
Barbara Mulwana, a member of the UMA Advisory Board and guest of honour at the launch, said the fair should be viewed through its wider commercial impact.
“The Trade Fair is not merely an exhibition. It is a marketplace of products, partnerships and possibilities – where Ugandan enterprise meets the consumer, innovation meets investment, and business ideas are converted into commercial opportunities.”
Beyond exhibition stands, UGITF 2026 will feature business matchmaking, conferences, industrial masterclasses, product launches and knowledge-sharing sessions. Business-to-business meetings will connect suppliers, distributors and investors, while business-to-government engagements will provide opportunities for enterprises to interact directly with policy and regulatory institutions.
For consumers, the fair will provide direct access to manufacturers, factory-price offers and selected “Black Deals”, alongside entertainment and family activities.
The fair will open daily from 9:00am to 8:00pm, with general entry set at Shs10,000.
For Uganda’s manufacturers, however, the bigger proposition is the opportunity to turn exhibition into sustained commerce. If UGITF 2026 succeeds in converting visibility into orders, partnerships, financing and exports, its economic value will extend well beyond the ten days at Lugogo—reinforcing the role of domestic industry in employment, public revenue and Uganda’s wider transformation into a production-driven economy.
