The Minister of State for Trade, Hon. Gen. Wilson Mbasu Mbadi, has urged local manufacturers and producers to prioritize quality branding and packaging in order to effectively position themselves in both domestic and international markets.
Gen. Mbadi made the remarks while officiating at the closing ceremony of a three-day masterclass training in packaging technology.
The event was organized by the Ministry of Trade, Industry and Cooperatives, in partnership with the Institute of Packaging Professionals of Uganda (IPPU) and the World Packaging Organisation (WPO), with support from the International Trade Centre (ITC) and the United Nations Industrial Development Organization (UNIDO).
Gen. Mbadi noted that good packaging is key to accessing markets, and, together with product quality, plays an even greater role in sustaining those markets. “Packaging is no longer a mere afterthought in value addition. It is a decisive factor in market competitiveness, food safety, environmental sustainability, and consumer trust,” he said.
“Your packaging needs to stand out from your competitors. It should make customers think of high-end, premium products,” he emphasized.
Gen. Mbadi challenged participants to elevate local products so they can compete with international brands currently dominating the Ugandan market.
“We are currently running the Buy Uganda, Build Uganda campaign, which aims to promote locally produced goods and services. However, without good packaging and proper branding, this campaign will not yield much,” he said.
He further noted that the Government of Uganda has made significant strides in improving the packaging sector, including the establishment of the Institute of Packaging Professionals of Uganda in 2023. The institute brings together packaging professionals, manufacturers, processors, traders, policy institutions, and academia, and is tasked with promoting high standards, professionalism, capacity building, and strengthening Uganda’s packaging value chain.
He added that the masterclass training was timely, coming at a time when Uganda has just acquired a country barcode for its products and is currently developing a marketing and branding strategy. He described the training as part of Uganda’s journey toward improving the packaging sector.
“The journey of improving Uganda’s packaging sector is not a sprint, but a continuous process that requires investment, technological innovation, collaboration, and policy support. With the momentum built here, I am confident that we are on the right path,” he said.
He urged participants to apply the knowledge gained during the training within their industries, cooperatives, SMEs, and enterprises. “What you have learned here should spark innovation and drive product excellence, export readiness, and competitiveness as we pursue our critical policies of import substitution and export promotion,” Mbadi emphasized.
The outgoing President of the World Packaging Organisation and lead facilitator of the masterclass, Prof. Pierre Pienaar, noted that the WPO will continue to work with Uganda to improve its packaging sector and position the country as a regional leader in packaging excellence and manufacturing competitiveness.
Prof. Charles Muyanja, Chairperson of IPPU, assured participants that this masterclass marks the beginning of Uganda’s packaging transformation. He said that plans are underway to roll out more specialized training programs focused on specific technical aspects of packaging technology and value chains.
The training, which took place at Protea Hotel from 5th to 7th August, brought together stakeholders in the packaging sector, including manufacturers, packaging material producers, graphic designers, development partners, and representatives from government ministries, departments, and agencies. It was organized under the theme: Enhancing Value Addition, Market Access, and Sustainable Industrialization.
Uganda is one of only three African countries selected to host the masterclass training in packaging technology. The others are Tanzania and Morocco.
