Minister of State for Finance, Planning and Economic Development (Planning), Amos Lugoloobi, has urged Ugandans to engage in productive economic activities, invest, save and reinvest their earnings to ensure the country’s economic growth translates into better household incomes and improved living standards.
Lugoloobi made the call on Tuesday while opening the seventh Uganda Economic Forum at Next Media Park in Kampala, where policymakers, business leaders and other stakeholders are discussing ways to turn economic growth into tangible benefits for ordinary Ugandans.
The four day forum, running from October 13 to 16, 2026, is being held under the theme “Putting Money in People’s Pockets: Translating Economic Growth into Household Prosperity.”
Lugoloobi said the government’s Tenfold Growth Strategy, which targets expanding Uganda’s economy to $500 billion by 2040, would require citizens to actively participate in production and wealth creation rather than depend solely on government interventions.
“We set out the budget, the strategy, but unless people do something, we can actually achieve nothing,” Lugoloobi said.
He urged Ugandans to embrace commercial agriculture, industrialisation, services and digital transformation, saying increased participation in these sectors would help expand production, create employment and improve household earnings.
The minister also called for greater value addition to locally produced goods and increased access to regional and continental markets through the East African Community and the African Continental Free Trade Area.
He said expanding production and accessing wider markets would be important in creating opportunities for businesses and improving the incomes of people involved in different economic activities.
Peter Jackson Mungoma, the Deputy Group Chief Executive Officer of Next Media, said economic growth should be reflected in practical improvements in people’s livelihoods, including better employment opportunities, higher incomes and improved access to markets.
Mungoma identified skills development, reliable infrastructure and a supportive business environment as important conditions for ensuring that economic expansion benefits households.
He said the forum provides an opportunity for government, businesses, financial institutions and development partners to identify practical measures for turning Uganda’s economic potential into income-generating opportunities.
Mungoma also urged businesses in tourism, transport, hospitality, food and entertainment to prepare for opportunities expected from the 2027 Africa Cup of Nations, which Uganda will co-host with Kenya and Tanzania.
The tournament is expected to create business opportunities across several sectors, making preparations by local enterprises important to their ability to benefit from the anticipated demand for goods and services.
Emmanuel Njuki, the Head of Legal and Corporate Affairs at Nile Breweries Limited, highlighted the role of local sourcing in supporting agricultural production and industrial development.
Njuki said the company sources more than 98 per cent of its raw materials locally, including barley, sorghum, cassava and maize, supporting more than 25,000 Ugandan farmers.
He said the sourcing model also creates opportunities for other businesses involved in transportation, distribution, retail and hospitality, demonstrating how industrial activity can support livelihoods beyond manufacturing.
The four day forum will examine how agriculture, tourism, mineral development and services can contribute to increased production, job creation and household prosperity.
Uganda is currently pursuing its ambition of accelerating economic growth, with the forum focusing on how investment, business expansion and employment can help ensure that the benefits of growth reach ordinary citizens.
