Leading Steel Manufacturer, Tembo Steels Ltd has showcased the significant progress made by their company, highlighting the urgent need for stronger, forward-thinking policies that regulate imports and actively support import substitution.
According to Tembo Steels General Manager, Mr Manish Kalla, who took center stage at the Uganda National Trade Review Conference 2026, held under the theme “Trade-Driven Transformation: Propelling Uganda to a $500B Economy by 2040” at Speke Resort Munyonyo in Kampala, prioritizing locally manufactured products and encouraging local sourcing across industries is essential to building a complete, self-sustaining value chain—ensuring that more value remains within the country rather than flowing to foreign companies.
Manish further noted that deeper collaboration between government and private sector players will be key to unlocking the full potential of Uganda’s industrial sector.
On Day 2 of the conference, Manish emphasized the critical role of investment in the steel industry as a backbone for achieving
Tembo Steels has been at the forefront of Uganda’s industrial renaissance since its founding in 2000. The company’s dedication to sustainability, innovation, and self-sufficiency has allowed it to become a major player in the steel sector, establishing international standards and promoting regional economic growth.
Organised by Ministry of Trade, Industry and Cooperatives (MTIC) in partnership with TradeMark Africa, UK International Development and other partners , the National Trade Sector Review Conference 2026, a high-level national platform was designed to review the Trade, Industry and Cooperatives Sector performance, its wide goals and mandate, analyze the progress in implementation of past initiatives, and devise strategies for the development of the sector.
The conference provided a structured environment to align Uganda’s trade strategy with its ambition to expand the economy tenfold—from approximately US$50 billion to US$500 billion by 2040.
The Conference was positioned as a national, evidence-based, multi-stakeholder dialogue intended to generate actionable trade policy and strategy recommendations to accelerate Uganda’s Tenfold Growth Strategy, anchored on the ATMS model—Agro industrialisation, Tourism Development, Mineral Development, and Science, Technology and Innovation.
The Conference will convened over 350 participants, including Government Ministries, Departments and Agencies (MDAs), Private Sector leaders, Micro, Small and Medium Enterprises (MSMEs), Cooperatives, civil society, academia, development partners, regional trade bodies, and media organisations among others.
The platform provided a stock-take of Uganda’s trade performance and readiness to leverage the tenfold growth strategy, while producing a time-bound national communiqué and implementation matrix for follow-up.
The National Trade Policy (NTP) has been revised to align with the current economic shifts, including the African Continental Free Trade Area (AfCFTA), new regional markets, and a focus on value addition. The revised policy aims at enhancing Uganda’s competitiveness and support the country’s $500 billion target.
Nearly two decades after the current Trade Policy was adopted, the Conference provides a timely platform to unveil Uganda’s revised National Trade Policy and National Export Development Strategy. By strengthening coordination across trade institutions and stakeholders, the Conference helps to align priorities, accelerate reform implementation, and reinforce trade as a key driver of Uganda’s Ten-Fold Growth ambition.
During the conference, the Ministry launched the National Trade Policy Development and Implementation Plan, the National Export Development Strategy (NEDS), and the Online Reporting Platform. These instruments are expected to guide regulatory reforms, export promotion, services trade competitiveness, minerals-based industrialization, agro-industrial value chain scaling, cooperative-led trade expansion, and the application of trade policy to promote trade order, quality, and standardisation.
The National Trade Sector Review Conference 2026 strengthens stakeholder coordination, generate practical reform commitments, increase media awareness of Uganda’s trade policy direction, and accelerate implementation of strategies aimed at driving export growth, value addition, structural transformation, and inclusive economic development.
The exhibition at the event has been a strategic opportunity for businesses to showcase innovations, build partnerships, engage policymakers, and position their enterprises within Uganda’s evolving trade and industrial policy landscape.
