economy 23 April 2026 Daily Monitor (Uganda)
Private Sector Outpaces Government in Uganda's Formal Employment, UBOS Report Reveals
Uganda's private sector employs 1.7 million workers in formal establishments, far surpassing the public sector's 503,738, according to the latest UBOS survey. The economy added 618,503 jobs between 2023 and 2025, with education leading as the top sector. Source: https://www.monitor.co.ug/uganda/news/national/more-ugandans-being-employed-by-private-companies-than-govt-report-5434414
A new report from the Uganda Bureau of Statistics (UBOS) highlights the private sector’s dominance in formal employment. Out of 2,204,918 formal jobs, 1,701,180 are in private companies, compared to just 503,738 in government roles.
Education employs the most workers at 1,304,815, followed by trade (218,770), manufacturing (180,216), and finance (127,931). Other key areas include ‘others’ (101,852), hospitality (79,762), health (75,347), public administration (54,810), support services (45,193), and ICT (16,222).
Contract types show 1,192,077 on fixed terms, 939,259 permanent, and 73,282 casuals. Age-wise, 74.2% are 31-64 years old, 24.7% youth (18-30), and 0.9% over 65.
The survey estimates 618,503 new jobs created from 2023 to 2025. UBOS Executive Director Dr. Chris Mukiza stressed the report’s value for planning, skills gaps, and policy-making.
In informal sectors, women lead: 2,547,199 self-employed females vs. 2,177,557 males among 4,724,768 total. Paid informal roles have 725,402 women and 1,028,404 men, while family workers include 499,292 females.
National Planning Authority’s Steven Mukitare praised women’s informal sector role for family benefits and called for better soft skills training. Youth MP-elect Mercy Kanyesigye pushed for more youth internships to boost formal participation.
Source: Daily Monitor