Louis Kimuli called for Italian industrialists to establish coffee, milk, and mineral processing facilities in Uganda to boost the economy.
Ugandan businessman Louis Kimuli is urging the government to attract Italian investors to develop local processing capabilities for coffee, milk, and minerals. Kimuli stated that Uganda should move beyond exporting raw materials and instead capture more value by processing and packaging products domestically. He believes leveraging strong trade links with Italy can bring the necessary industrial expertise, technology, and capital to achieve this.
Speaking at the Uganda–Italy Business and Investment Forum in Rome, Kimuli emphasized that bringing processing capacity to Uganda would create jobs for youth and increase economic returns. The forum, themed ‘Unlocking Shared Prosperity,’ brought together officials and private sector representatives to explore partnerships. Key requirements for attracting investors, as noted at the forum, include reliable electricity, affordable financing, suitable infrastructure, and predictable regulations, alongside meeting European market standards.
Uganda exported 8.8 million 60-kilogramme bags of coffee, earning $2.4 billion in the year ending April 2026. Italy is Uganda’s largest coffee buyer, accounting for approximately a quarter of these exports. The Uganda Free Zones and Export Promotion Authority presented a 1,031-square-metre production facility in Entebbe to Italian investors for value addition targeting European Union markets.
Why it mattersUgandan youth and the national economy are affected by the potential for new jobs and higher returns from domestic processing of export products.
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