KAMPALA — The Government has called on Ugandan and Nigerian businesses to turn resolutions from the Uganda–Nigeria Business Forum and Exhibition into concrete trade, investment and partnership opportunities.
Minister of State for Foreign Affairs in charge of Regional Cooperation, Hon. Haruna Kyeyune Kasolo, said the success of the two-day forum should be measured by business transactions rather than speeches and participation.
“Talking is good, but after talking, do you have something in your pocket?” Kyeyune said while closing the forum.
He urged government institutions, private-sector players and Uganda’s diplomatic missions to take ownership of the forum’s resolutions and ensure they are followed through, including under the Uganda–Nigeria Joint Permanent Commission.
Kyeyune called for the discussions to result in contracts, investments, joint ventures, shipments of goods and services, and new market opportunities between the two countries.
The minister also encouraged Ugandan businesses to look beyond the domestic market and use the African Continental Free Trade Area (AfCFTA) to expand production, create jobs, add value and access markets across the continent.
He urged businesses to work closely with Uganda’s diplomatic missions by providing quality products and appropriate marketing materials to support the promotion of Ugandan goods and services abroad.
The forum, organised by the Ministry of Foreign Affairs and the Uganda High Commission in Abuja, brought together Ugandan and Nigerian government officials, businesses, investors and other stakeholders.
The investment and business showcase highlighted opportunities for cooperation in agriculture, manufacturing, tourism, technology, pharmaceuticals, construction, food processing, cement, creative industries, mining, infrastructure, and defence and security.
Uganda presented its free zones as potential platforms for investors to establish production and export bases, with incentives including tax and duty exemptions.
Participants also highlighted Uganda’s access to East and Central African markets and called for stronger African value chains through joint ventures, technology transfer and increased value addition.
Kenneth Kisambira, Chief Executive Officer of UBA Group, said Africa needed stronger business partnerships and better market access to turn its resources into economic opportunities.
“Africa’s future depends not only on its resources but on stronger partnerships, market access and the courage to turn opportunities into actual trade,” Kisambira said.
He called on Uganda and Nigeria to leverage their complementary strengths under the AfCFTA by moving from commodity exports towards value-added production.
Kisambira also urged stakeholders to address payment and trade barriers, scale African enterprises and invest in skills to ensure bilateral agreements result in measurable trade, jobs and investment.
Ajay Kumar Pal, Chief Executive Officer of Quality Chemicals Industries Limited Uganda, highlighted pharmaceuticals as an area with significant potential for bilateral cooperation.
He said Uganda and Nigeria have substantial healthcare needs while continuing to import a large proportion of their pharmaceutical products.
Pal called for increased pharmaceutical production and trade within Africa while addressing regulatory restrictions, trade barriers, delays and currency-settlement challenges.
He said governments should provide an enabling environment while the private sector takes the lead in actual trade and investment.
The forum also encouraged direct business-to-business engagement and greater participation of the African diaspora in expanding market access. Participants identified Nigeria’s large consumer market as an opportunity for Ugandan businesses seeking to expand their exports.
The organisers called for continued follow-up on the business connections made during the forum to translate the engagements into investment, increased trade, technology development, value addition and job creation.
