Rwashamaire, Ntungamo —Inspire Africa Group (IAG) launched its first coffee products at the new Africa Coffee Park in Rwashamaire, Ntungamo District.
The event, held on International Coffee Day, October 1, 2025, was presided over by Chief Justice Alfonse Chigamoy Owiny-Dollo and attended by several high-ranking government officials, including Hon. Ruth Nankabirwa, Minister of Energy and Mineral Development, and Hon. Milly Babirye Babalanda, Minister for the Presidency.
The launch showcased IAG’s ambition to shift Uganda from a raw commodity exporter to a producer of globally competitive, value-added coffee products. The Africa Coffee Park, a 150-acre facility, is designed to be a major processing hub in Eastern Africa, using freeze-dry technology to create instant coffee, energy drinks, and beauty products.
First Products
The company unveiled a range of high-value products, including Drip Coffee, Coffee Capsules, Ground Coffee, and Roasted Coffee, which Chief Justice Dollo officially flagged off for local and international markets.
Inspire Africa’s new products are competitively priced, with Arabica (Ground) at Shs12,000, Drip Coffee at Shs11,000, and Espresso Capsules at Shs13,500, while roasted varieties like Robusta and Arabica Sipi Falls cost Shs35,000 and Shs22,500 respectively.
The company is also launching a line of coffee-based bioproducts, including scrubs (priced at Shs40,000/20,000), body creams at Shs30,000, and Noela lip balms for just Shs7,000.
The first shipment of IAG products will be exported to Somalia on October 7, 2025, at an official ceremony at the Uganda–Somalia Business Summit at Mestil Hotel in Kampala, flagged off by President Yoweri Museveni and his Somali counterpart, H.E. Hassan Sheikh Mohamud.
Coffee as a Catalyst for National Development
Chief Justice Owiny-Dollo, himself a coffee farmer, highlighted the crop’s potential to transform Uganda’s economy. He compared it to cotton, which once dominated the country’s cash crop landscape during colonial times but offered far lower returns.
“At today’s market rates, an acre of cotton may give you Shs500,000 in a season, but with coffee, even on a quarter-acre, in a poor season, you can earn Shs2m. Coffee continues to produce for your lifetime, your children, and even your grandchildren.”
He called on the government to create supportive policies, subsidies, and financing frameworks to ensure coffee remains a reliable source of income for Ugandans. “With the right policies, subsidies, and support for home-grown investors, coffee can educate our children, sustain households, and transform Uganda.”
Turning Dreams into Reality
Founder and CEO of Inspire Africa, Nelson Tugume, shared his personal journey and his vision for the company. “What brings us today is a story of a common dream, a shared vision. This is not the dream of Nelson; this is a dream for so many Ugandans,” he said.
Tugume emphasised the critical importance of value addition, noting that selling raw beans results in lost income and jobs. “Africa earns only $2.6 billion from a $460 billion market. Friends, this is an economic war, not just a coffee story. Coffee is not just a cash crop; it is a business, a science, and a vehicle for wealth.”
Infrastructure and Local Investment
Hon. Ruth Nankabirwa, Minister of Energy and Mineral Development, spoke on the crucial role of electricity in enabling industrial development. “You cannot talk about agribusiness, value addition, mineral development, science and technology, without talking about the need for huge investment in power generation, because you can’t supply what you don’t have,” she stated.
She outlined ongoing infrastructure projects to support the Africa Coffee Park, including a dedicated transformer and transmission line, and promised affordable power rates for the plant. “”We are installing a dedicated transformer and line at Mirama, currently 40% complete. I’ll push for its accelerated completion to ensure the plant benefits from reliable, affordable electricity at the industrial park rate of five US cents per kilowatt-hour. The government has an interest in de-risking this project to attract more investment.”
Lieutenant General Charles Otema, UPDF Reserve Force Commander, praised Tugume as an inspiration for youth, emphasising the importance of local investors in transforming the country.
“If many Ugandans can be supported who have the dream to do what you have done, I think this is the biggest transformation which we are going to have in this country… not some foreign investors, but Ugandans,” he said.
Innovation and Branding
Hon. Milly Babalanda celebrated Uganda’s legacy as Africa’s leading Robusta producer and the eighth-largest exporter globally. “Uganda’s coffee story is one of resilience, transformation, and promise. From the small farmer in Bugisu or Ankole to the baristas in Dubai or London, coffee connects Uganda to the world.”
She noted that coffee exports generate over $1 billion annually and support over five million Ugandans. “With companies like Inspire Africa leading the way, I have no doubt that the next cup of coffee on the world’s best tables will proudly bear the mark: grown, processed, and brewed in Uganda.”
The Minister of Science, Technology and Innovation, Hon Monica Musenero, in a speech read by Babalanda, reinforced the economic imperative of value addition. “The truth is, for far too long, we have exported raw beans and imported back value-added products… A kilo of green beans exported at $4 returns $40 value internationally. This value leakage is unacceptable.”
She urged Ugandans to support local brands like Inspire Africa, affirming the government’s commitment to helping the country move from exporting raw beans to exporting knowledge, products, and brands. “Let’s market our products, our nation, and showcase our innovation to the world. Buy our coffee—you’ll taste the difference that Ugandan innovation brings.”
As of August 2025, Uganda’s coffee exports have seen a significant increase, with a 58.7% rise in value over the previous year. The country aims to boost its export revenue to $4 billion and production to 20 million 60kg bags by 2030, supported by investments in a National Traceability System to meet international regulations.
