By Our Reporter
Equity Bank is set to host a two-day trade mission in Uganda, bringing together over 40 international investors to explore business and investment opportunities with Ugandan small and medium-sized enterprises (SMEs).
The investors arrived in Uganda on Wednesday after spending two days in Tanzania, where they visited Dar es Salaam and Zanzibar. This trade mission is part of a larger initiative by Equity Group to support trade and investment across Africa through the Africa Recovery and Resilience Plan (ARRP). The goal is to strengthen trade between countries and build stronger regional supply chains.
The delegation includes entrepreneurs, private equity investors, development partners, and institutions from Asia, Africa, the Middle East, and Europe.
During the two days in Uganda, participants will take part in panel discussions, networking sessions, business forums with the government, and site visits. They will focus on sectors such as agriculture, energy, tourism, infrastructure, finance, and manufacturing.
“This mission is part of our effort to unlock the huge potential in Tanzania and Uganda by linking global investors with local opportunities,” said Dr. James Mwangi, Equity Group’s Managing Director and CEO. “We aim to create long-term impact through job creation, stronger value chains, and inclusive economic growth.”
In Kampala, the investors will also look into opportunities in value addition, manufacturing, and technology, with special focus on dairy processing, pharmaceuticals, textiles, mining, and agri-tech. They will visit selected business sites and meet with key policymakers and local business leaders.
This event builds on past successful missions organized by Equity Group, which have helped create partnerships between Uganda and countries such as the Democratic Republic of Congo, Vietnam, and India. Previous events have also included investor roadshows in the DRC.
Equity Group says these past missions have led to major investments, new business deals, and stronger regional trade, supporting the goals of the Africa Continental Free Trade Area (AfCFTA). Equity is also working with the East African Community (EAC) to help build a regional common market as part of its Africa Recovery and Resilience Plan.
As part of this plan, Equity Group aims to direct funding equal to 2% of the region’s total economy (GDP) into the private sector. This funding will focus on key areas like agriculture, manufacturing, SMEs, and infrastructure. By 2030, the Group hopes to reach 100 million people and businesses and help create up to 50 million jobs across Africa.
