Business 8 October 2026 State House (Uganda)
Netherlands Deepens Investment Ties with Uganda, SHIPU Pledges Streamlined Environment
The Netherlands continues to be a significant investor in Uganda, with over 200 Dutch-affiliated companies contributing to key sectors like agriculture and renewable energy. The State House Investors Protection Unit (SHIPU) has pledged a "zero-delay" environment to foster continued foreign direct investment. Source: https://statehouse.go.ug/netherlands-remains-key-investor-in-uganda-as-shipu-pledges-zero-delay-investment-environment
The Netherlands remains a cornerstone of foreign direct investment (FDI) in Uganda, with more than 200 Dutch-affiliated companies actively engaged in the nation’s economy. These investments span critical sectors such as agriculture, agribusiness, renewable energy, transportation, and logistics.
During a recent strategic engagement in Kampala, facilitated by the Netherlands-Uganda Trade and Investment Platform (NUTIP) and hosted by SHIPU, Dutch investors met with Ugandan government agencies to address challenges affecting their operations. Key discussion points included taxation, tax arbitration, economic policy, and governance.
Colonel Edith Nakalema, the head of SHIPU, emphasized the strong, 56-year economic partnership between Uganda and the Netherlands. She highlighted that by June 2026, Dutch investments accounted for nearly 60% of Uganda’s total FDI inflows, underscoring their vital role in innovation, local capacity building, and employment creation.
Colonel Nakalema assured investors of SHIPU’s commitment to creating a “zero-delay destination” for investment, as directed by President Yoweri Museveni. The unit aims to expedite the resolution of investor concerns through collaborative mechanisms. She also promoted the use of the Electronic Investors’ Protection Portal (EIPP) as a tool to streamline due diligence and administrative processes.
The Deputy Ambassador of the Kingdom of the Netherlands to Uganda, H.E. Bouwe-Jan Smeding, acknowledged the shared goal of improving Uganda’s business environment and noted a strategic shift in Dutch engagement from development cooperation towards an investment-focused approach.
Discussions also touched upon external economic pressures affecting Uganda, including rising fuel prices and currency depreciation. Officials from the Ministry of Finance assured investors of measures being taken to stabilize the economy and reiterated the government’s commitment to a predictable and supportive business climate.