Kampala, Uganda | Uganda has unveiled an ambitious plan to expand its economy tenfold to USD 500 billion by 2040, emphasizing the need for a more efficient public sector to strengthen private sector competitiveness.
The target was outlined at the Second Annual Doing Business Forum, held on Thursday at Golf Course Hotel in Kampala.
The forum, convened under the theme “Enhanced Public Sector Efficiency for Private Sector Competitiveness,” brought together senior government officials, private sector representatives, and development partners to discuss reforms aimed at improving Uganda’s investment climate.
Delivering his remarks, the Permanent Secretary and Secretary to the Treasury (PSST), Ramathan Ggoobi, said Uganda had reached a defining point in its economic transformation, guided by the National Development Plan IV (NDP IV) and the Tenfold Growth Strategy.
He explained that government’s long-term goal was to transition Uganda into a middle-income, export-driven economy, noting that a functional public sector was critical for enabling private enterprise to thrive through job creation, value addition, and increased investment.
Ggoobi said the government, under the NDP IV Public Sector Transformation Programme, aimed to enhance transparency and accountability in service delivery from 70 to 90 percent, improve staffing levels in public institutions from 55 to 85 percent, and raise local government fiscal sustainability from 34 to 50 percent.
He added that the government intended to expand access to efficient public services from the current 50 % of Ugandans to at least 80 % by 2030.
He highlighted ongoing efforts to support businesses through improved access to standards and certification services, explaining that the Uganda National Bureau of Standards (UNBS) had established regional offices in Gulu, Mbarara, and Mbale.
According to him, the UNBS budget had increased from Shs 58.1 billion in FY 2024/25 to Shs 133.8 billion this financial year, allowing the institution to hire more staff and extend its reach across regions.
He further noted that the government is reviewing the UNBS funding model to ensure that businesses could receive services more promptly once payments were made.
Ggoobi also reported progress under the e-Government Procurement System (e-GP), which has been deployed to 62 Ministries, Departments and Agencies (MDAs) and 134 Local Governments, saying the system was already reducing delays and addressing inefficiencies in public procurement.
He added that the National Information Technology Authority (NITA-U) was expanding broadband infrastructure to ensure affordable and reliable internet access for businesses nationwide.
In her opening address, the Head of Public Service and Secretary to Cabinet, Lucy Nakyobe, stressed that improved efficiency within government institutions was essential for Uganda’s economic transformation.
She said all MDAs were required to have service delivery standards, client charters, and strategic plans aligned with NDP IV by 30th December 2025, warning that failure to comply would negatively impact the performance evaluations of Permanent Secretaries.
Nakyobe observed that despite notable progress, the private sector still faced persistent challenges such as lengthy licensing procedures, fragmented infrastructure approvals, and limited access to serviced industrial parks and reliable utilities.
She pointed out that exporters continued to deal with high compliance costs, excessive documentation, and border delays issues that raised the cost of doing business, weakened competitiveness, and discouraged both domestic and foreign investment.
She emphasized that efficiency within public institutions was not optional and that services had to be delivered promptly, transparently, and at minimal cost.
Nakyobe said government processes, including business registration, construction permits, land acquisition, and electricity connections, must be streamlined to meet modern standards of service delivery.
She reiterated government’s commitment to creating a conducive investment climate, reducing the cost of doing business, and enhancing Uganda’s attractiveness to both local and international investors through sustained reforms.
The Doing Business Forum provided a platform for dialogue between the public and private sectors to align national development priorities.