AFRICA BUSINESS FORUM 2025: STI Hosts Strategic Dialogue on Industrial Bottlenecks and Value Addition in Africa

The Science, Technology and Innovation Secretariat (STI) held a high-level strategic forum under the theme: “Bottlenecks in Africa’s Industrialization and Value Addition Journey.” This event formed part of the prestigious Afrifa Business Forum 2025 and was held during the official launch of the Africa Coffee Park in Ntungamo District.

The forum was moderated by Mr. Elijah Turyagumanawe, Strategic Communications Officer at STI. It featured an influential panel of business leaders, innovators, and policymakers including:

Dr. Patrick Magoola, Developer of Covidex and Biomedicine Entrepreneur

Hon. Dr. Jocelyn Kamateneti, Woman Member of Parliament, Ntungamo District

Mr. Ian Rumanika, External Affairs Manager, Uganda Baati

Mr. Amos Tindyebwa, CEO, Fresh Cuts Uganda

In his remarks, Dr. Magoola candidly spoke about the challenges faced by innovators and entrepreneurs in Uganda and across Africa. He emphasized that many innovators are often misunderstood and even dismissed as eccentric for dedicating their lives to building ideas from scratch. He commended Dr. Nelson Tugume for his visionary leadership in initiating the Africa Coffee Park and acknowledged President Yoweri Museveni’s consistent support for innovation and entrepreneurship, calling him a “visionary president.”

Mr. Amos Tindyebwa, CEO of Fresh Cuts Uganda a leading meat and beef processing company underscored the critical role of local entrepreneurs in national development. He criticized the government and Uganda Revenue Authority (URA) for overburdening Small and Medium Enterprises (SMEs) with excessive taxes. “You cannot over-twist a business that hasn’t yet broken even,” he cautioned. Tindyebwa called on the government to inject more capital into the Uganda Development Bank (UDB) to enable SMEs to access affordable credit, arguing that commercial bank loans are unsustainable due to high interest rates.

Representing the manufacturing sector, Mr. Ian Rumanika of Uganda Baati stressed that local industrialists are the real investors driving Uganda’s economy. He noted that his company, which produces vital construction materials such as iron sheets and bars, has played a significant role in infrastructure development. “Ninety-nine percent of our employees are Ugandans,” he said, highlighting the company’s contribution to job creation. Rumanika urged the government to prioritize investment in human capital development, emphasizing that while Uganda is rich in resources, it has yet to fully exploit them.

Hon. Dr. Jocelyn Kamateneti, Woman MP for Ntungamo District, expressed her gratitude to the government and Dr. Nelson Tugume for establishing the Africa Coffee Park, which she said has brought transformative value addition to the region and the country at large. She also thanked President Museveni for his unwavering support toward entrepreneurship. Kamateneti reaffirmed Parliament’s role in supporting local business by enacting favorable laws and advocating for increased funding to the Uganda Development Bank to ease access to affordable capital.

The forum provided a crucial platform for stakeholders to reflect on the structural and policy challenges limiting Africa’s journey toward industrialization and economic sovereignty. It also underscored the importance of collaboration between innovators, legislators, and private sector actors in building a self-sustaining industrial ecosystem.