Nabbanja Warns Against Investor Exploitation as Uganda Pushes for 20 Million Coffee Bags

Prime Minister Robinah Nabbanja has issued a strong warning against the exploitation and misdirection of investors, pointing out that bureaucratic red tape and unauthorized bottlenecks continue to undermine Uganda’s economic growth opportunities.

Speaking during recent engagements tied to value addition and economic development, Ms Nabbanja stressed that institutional coordination must improve so that investors bypass unnecessary hurdles. She noted that lower-level barriers often obstruct legitimate business interests, urging ministries and the Uganda Investment Authority to streamline guidance.

Simultaneously, the government is driving a massive push within the agricultural sector, aiming to expand coffee exports to 20 million bags by 2030. Uganda currently exports about 8.4 million bags valued near $2.4 billion, though roughly 98 percent leaves the country in raw form. State Minister for Agriculture Desire Muhooza emphasized the need for modern agronomy, climate awareness, and the active inclusion of youth and women in processing and roasting.

Despite ambitious national targets, grassroots stakeholders have voiced serious concerns regarding structural hurdles. Farmers like Medard Turyahikayo and Charles Kyomya warned that high operational costs, counterfeit pesticides, and a lack of market stability continue to plague producers at the community level, threatening long-term production prosperity.

Read more details in the Daily Monitor report.