Equity Group hosts Uganda trade and investment roadshow to unlock cross-border business opportunities

The roadshow aims to unlock business and investment opportunities, strengthen economic ties, and connect businesses and investors with key partners across the region.

The Uganda leg of the roadshow is bringing together participants from across Africa and international markets to explore Uganda’s business and investment landscape, build commercial partnerships and identify opportunities for cross-border trade and investment.

The programme features engagements focused on Uganda’s business outlook, agriculture, mining, manufacturing, trade and the coffee value chain, providing participants with an opportunity to engage policymakers, industry leaders, businesses and other private-sector stakeholders.

The programme includes a business outlook session featuring Equity Bank Uganda clients, local business leaders, the Private Sector Foundation Uganda (PSFU), Ministry of Science, innovation and technology and the Ministry of Trade, Industry and Cooperatives.

Speaking during the roadshow, Hon. Sanjay Tanna, Minister of Trade, Industry and Cooperatives, Uganda, said Uganda’s economic transformation will require stronger investment in value addition, manufacturing, innovation and skills, while calling for deeper collaboration between government and financial institutions to unlock opportunities for businesses.

He commended Equity Bank for its contribution to Uganda’s financial services landscape and its role in supporting entrepreneurs, while encouraging the Bank to deepen its support for micro, small and medium enterprises, particularly businesses operating outside the major urban centres. 

“We are here to celebrate Equity and the role it has played in transforming the way banking is done. Equity has demonstrated that when financial services are brought closer to entrepreneurs and small businesses, they can become a powerful driver of economic transformation. I encourage Equity to build on this legacy in Uganda by going deeper into our communities, strengthening financial literacy and bookkeeping among small and micro businesses, and helping them access the finance and markets they need to grow. Government is ready to work with institutions such as Equity to reduce barriers to investment, lower the cost of capital and create an environment where businesses can invest, expand and create jobs,” said Hon. Tanna.

The roadshow will also feature a dedicated Uganda Coffee Value Chain Roundtable, bringing together key players including Neumann Kaffee Gruppe and Volcafe, alongside business networking and players in the coffee value chain across Uganda aimed at translating conversations into commercial opportunities.

Welcoming the delegates, Equity Bank Uganda Executive Director, Claver Serumaga, said the roadshow demonstrates Equity’s commitment to facilitating cross-border trade and investment, while connecting businesses to the capital, markets, technology and strategic partnerships they need to scale across East Africa. 

“Uganda does not lack opportunity; what we need is to connect that opportunity to the right capital, markets, technology and partnerships. At Equity Bank Uganda, we see our role as going beyond financing to actively connecting businesses to the ecosystems they need to grow, compete and scale. Whether it is coffee, agriculture, manufacturing, or innovation, the real opportunity is to move beyond exporting raw potential and capture greater value through processing, technology, branding and access to regional and global markets. Our Trade & Investment Roadshow is about making those connections happen,  bringing businesses, investors, policymakers and markets to the same table and turning conversations into partnerships, transactions and investment. When businesses grow, markets deepen and value is retained locally, Uganda’s economy grows with them.” he said.

The roadshow provides participants with opportunities to engage directly with Uganda’s business ecosystem through business forums, sector deep-dives, networking sessions and site visits. The programme will include a visit to Zigoti Coffee Farm for participants taking part in the coffee value chain track, while delegates on the general site visit track will visit JNL Industries, Roofings Uganda Limited and other businesses.

Speaking on the importance of the roadshow, Equity Group Associate Director of Trade Relations, Mahvish Malik, said trade missions provide an important platform for businesses to build relationships, explore new markets and identify opportunities for commercial collaboration.

“At Equity Group, we believe that unlocking trade and investment opportunities requires more than simply talking about markets, it requires taking businesses into those markets, connecting them with the right people and helping them understand opportunities on the ground. Through our Trade and Investment Missions, we curate targeted business and government engagements, value-chain experiences and market linkages that can translate into real partnerships, investment, sourcing and market access. Uganda is a market with significant potential, and we are pleased to bring businesses and investors together to explore opportunities that can drive cross-border growth and shared prosperity across the region.”

The business forum also featured a panel discussion bringing together experts from government, industry and the private sector to explore policies, market opportunities and the enabling environment for trade and investment in Uganda. The panel focused on key investment opportunities and the measures needed to support businesses to scale, access new markets and contribute to Uganda’s economic transformation. The panelists included Georgina Mugerwa, Assistant Commissioner, Multilateral Trade; Dr. Cosmas Mwikirize, Head of Industrial Value Chains Innovation; and Ronnie Mulongo, Private Sector Founder, Senior Leader and Project Director. 

The Uganda leg of the roadshow will conclude on September 16, with delegates travelling from Entebbe to Kigali, Rwanda, where the programme will continue.

Equity Group continues to demonstrate its commitment to empowering businesses and fostering partnerships that unlock the potential of Africa’s economies. Through its trade missions, the Group connects businesses and investors to new markets, commercial opportunities and the financial solutions and networks required to scale their operations.

The 2026 Uganda & Rwanda Trade and Investment Roadshow forms part of Equity Group’s continued efforts to facilitate intra-African trade, regional integration and investment, creating platforms where businesses can connect, collaborate and explore opportunities across borders.