Uganda’s manufacturing and entrepreneurial ecosystem has received a major boost with the launch of Made in Uganda, a new e-commerce platform dedicated to promoting locally made products to both domestic and international consumers.
The platform aims to bridge the gap between Ugandan producers and global markets, enabling manufacturers, artisans, and small enterprises to showcase their certified products online. This comes at a time when demand for authentic, locally produced goods is steadily rising both within Uganda and across borders.
“I’m very excited that UNBS has played an important role in getting these products onto the market,” said Ms. Patricia Ejalu, Deputy Executive Director of the Uganda National Bureau of Standards (UNBS), while visiting the Made in Uganda exhibition during the ongoing 31st edition of the international Uganda Manufacturers Association (UMA) Trade Fair.
She added, “If you walk into any supermarket right now, you’ll find the success of our initiatives. Shelf space is mostly filled with Ugandan products. We used to be down at the bottom where nobody could see our products, but now we are reaching the top, occupying at least half of the shelf space. If we want to compete in the regional market, we have to bring something to the table. That’s what Buy Uganda Build Uganda is all about — lifting ourselves up so we can take care of basic issues.”
The Made in Uganda platform reflects growing confidence in locally manufactured products that meet national and international quality standards. By collaborating with UNBS, the initiative ensures that products listed on the site meet certification requirements, thereby increasing trust among consumers at home and abroad.
According to Moses Byaruhanga, Head of Made in Uganda, the platform has already made significant progress in its onboarding drive.
“A lot of the consumption of Ugandan products has clearly been indigenous or local, and what we want to do is create market access opportunities so Ugandan products can reach international shelves,” he said. “Over the past few months, we have onboarded just over 2,000 unique products, which are available on our platform. The bulk of these are already certified, and a handful require additional support.”
With a curated selection ranging from food and beverages to textiles, crafts, beauty products, and home goods, Made in Uganda is positioning itself as a digital marketplace that tells Uganda’s industrial and creative story to the world.
Dr. Ezra Rubanda Muhumuza, Executive Director of Uganda Manufacturers Association (UMA), while speaking at the same event, reiterated the value of an e-commerce platform dedicated to promoting Ugandan-made products to both local and international audiences.
“I’m happy to unveil the Made in Uganda supermarket at UMA as part of the 31st International Trade Fair exhibit. Our initiative for the Made in Uganda supermarket comes from our partnership with the Science, Technology and Innovation Secretariat (STI) from the President’s office to support the young generation, who produce high-quality products in small quantities due to lack of capacity but have the skills to create excellent goods. We want to embrace them as a section of manufacturers, then enable them to commercialize and industrialize these products for larger markets. This is the first step identification, which includes profiling, then commercialization, followed by further support to reach industrialization for bigger markets. Made in Uganda is an exciting innovation for this year’s Trade Fair, and we invite everyone to visit its exhibition space.”
The platform, accessible via www.miu.com, also promises to ease logistics, payments, and export facilitation — all key barriers that have limited small producers from accessing larger markets. It further supports Uganda’s broader agenda to grow exports, reduce imports of basic consumer goods, and enhance local employment through increased production.
Industry experts say such platforms are vital for deepening Uganda’s participation in the global value chain while encouraging Ugandans to “Buy Uganda, Build Uganda,” the national policy slogan emphasizing self-reliance and local enterprise growth.
