Enterprise Uganda and the United Nations Industrial Development Organization have launched an intensive training program to help 100 local entrepreneurs prepare their businesses for the European market.
The initiative aims to provide business operators with the practical skills and knowledge necessary to meet international trade standards. Charles Ocici, executive director of Enterprise Uganda, said the participants were selected based on their potential to scale up and compete globally.
The European Union (EU) offers Uganda duty-free, quota-free access under the Everything But Arms (EBA) arrangement, with trade rising to roughly €1.5 billion by 2026. Key European support includes over €200 million for investment in agribusiness, value addition, and digitalization, alongside boosting sanitary standards for agricultural exports like coffee, fish, and fruits
Uganda enjoys duty-free access for almost all goods, particularly coffee, fish, flowers, tobacco, and fruits, which makes up 74% of preferential imports.
“This is not for beginners, These are entrepreneurs who have been in business but now need to move from the junior league to the premier league of global trade,”Charles Ocici said
The curriculum covers contract management, litigation, international compliance, finance and export planning. International trade specialists are leading sessions on contract negotiation and credit protection, while other modules focus on navigating European Union trade barriers and developing bankable business plans.
Andrea Carapellese, a representative from UNIDO, said the project represents a shift in how Italy engages with the Ugandan private sector. He noted this is the first time the Italian government has directly funded a private-sector project of this scale in the country.
We are taking a bottom-up approach, working directly with entrepreneurs to understand their needs and build practical, impactful solutions, Carapellese said.
The training is part of a three-year program that will include workshops across the country on marketing, intellectual property and international trade dynamics.
Ocici said the primary obstacles for Ugandan exporters are often behavioral rather than related to production capacity. He identified trust, consistency and adherence to standards as the most significant gaps.
In export markets, trust is everything, Ocici said. If you commit to delivering 1,000 kilograms, it must be exactly that. Contracts are not suggestions; they are binding commitments.
He added that many local businesses struggle to meet delivery timelines, which can undermine their competitiveness. The program also emphasizes product presentation, packaging and branding to ensure high-quality Ugandan goods can compete effectively on the global stage.
Organizers said they will measure the success of the initiative by the growth in export contract volumes, expansion into new markets and improved access to affordable financing for participants.
In 2025, Uganda’s export sector experienced record-breaking performance, significantly contributing to a robust economic growth rate of 6.3% Merchandise exports surged to over $13 billion (approx. Shs 50 trillion), with some reports indicating earnings as high as $14.4 billion (Shs 53.64 trillion)
