Technology 23 October 2026 Daily Monitor (Uganda)
Uganda Moves to Draft E-Commerce Policy as Logistics and Rules Stifle Digital Trade
Ugandan officials and industry experts are calling for urgent regulatory reforms and lower logistics costs to help local SMEs tap into the African Continental Free Trade Area. Source: https://www.monitor.co.ug/uganda/news/national/high-logistics-costs-fragmented-rules-stifle-uganda-s-digital-trade-ambitions-5642980
Uganda is stepping up efforts to unlock its cross-border digital trade potential by drafting a comprehensive national e-commerce policy. Speaking at the 9th KTA Annual African Technology and Intellectual Property Symposium in Kampala, Minister of State for Trade, Industry and Cooperatives Gen Wilson Mbasu Mbadi highlighted that the upcoming framework aims to establish a secure, regulated environment for online commerce.
While social media tools like Instagram, WhatsApp, and TikTok have empowered many Ugandan entrepreneurs to market goods regionally, converting this online visibility into profitable transactions remains a major challenge. Industry experts note that local businesses often struggle with high delivery expenses, payment bottlenecks, and complex customs procedures that make fulfilling orders across borders commercially unviable.
Kenneth Muhangi, a partner at KT Advocates and executive director of the Centre for Law, Policy and Innovation Initiative, pointed out that a true African Digital Single Market requires seamless advertising, order processing, delivery, intellectual property protection, and dispute resolution. He urged authorities to slash trade tariffs and invest heavily in affordable transport, logistics, and internet infrastructure.
Regulatory fragmentation across different African nations continues to burden growing enterprises. Talkmore Chidede, a senior digital trade expert at the AfCFTA Secretariat, cautioned that small businesses should not have to navigate conflicting compliance mandates and duplicated approvals across dozens of separate jurisdictions.
In a message delivered by Attorney General Dr Sam Mayanja, President Yoweri Museveni emphasized that regional integration benefits must actively reach women and young people who face restricted access to finance and fragmented regulations. Driven by growing mobile internet adoption, stakeholders are pressing for accelerated reforms to align with the African Union’s goal of achieving a unified digital market by 2030.
Read more about these developments in the Daily Monitor.