By Shamim Saad
The Uganda Investment Authority (UIA) was honoured with a Founders & Legacy Award for its pioneering role in advancing Uganda’s private sector growth and development during the Private Sector Foundation Uganda (PSFU) 30th Anniversary Dinner.
The award was presented on Wednesday, August 19, 2026, at the Kampala Serena Hotel during the closing ceremony of the third Annual Regional Industrialization Conference (RIC2026), which coincided with celebrations marking three decades of private-sector growth and partnership.
Daniel Kazibwe, representing the Arts, Culture and Creative Sector on the PSFU Board of Directors, presented the award to Peter Muramira, UIA Director of Investment Promotion and Business Development (IPBD), who represented UIA Director General Robert Mukiza.
The recognition celebrates UIA’s instrumental role in the establishment of PSFU and its longstanding commitment to promoting a strong, vibrant and competitive private sector in Uganda.
Earlier in the day, Muramira participated in a panel discussion where he highlighted UIA’s role in investment promotion and business development, particularly in driving value addition, strengthening investor support and reducing barriers to doing business.
He emphasized that UIA is positioning itself as a key convening platform, with the One-Stop- Centre serving as an accessible gateway for investors and businesses by reducing red tape, streamlining processes and improving coordination across government institutions.
Muramira also noted that UIA’s role as an activator of production can contribute significantly to Uganda’s ambition of achieving a $500 billion economy. He said this can be realized by anchoring the integration of regional value chains and facilitating the transition of investments from planned projects to actualized investments.
He further underscored the importance of integration and the critical role of the Bank of Uganda in strengthening access to, and effective use of, investment data.
According to Muramira, properly analyzed data is essential for segmenting UIA’s investment portfolio, enabling more effective investor referrals, stronger business-to-business linkages and informed investment recommendations across the region and the wider African continent.
He also emphasized UIA’s role as a convening power, noting that strong coordination and an effective frontline structure are critical to creating a responsive and investor-friendly support system.
At the close of RIC2026, Minister of Trade, Industry and Cooperatives, Hon. Sanjay Tanna, called for stronger regional cooperation to accelerate industrialization and enhance East Africa’s competitiveness.
The Minister noted that Africa currently accounts for only about 2 percent of global value-added products, while intra-African trade remains comparatively low. He cited intra-EAC trade at approximately $19.3 billion, representing about 12.3 percent of the bloc’s total trade.
The RIC2026 closing ceremony brought together business leaders, private-sector stakeholders, government representatives and development partners to reflect on PSFU’s three decades of championing private-sector development and contributing to Uganda’s economic transformation.
The 30th Anniversary celebration also provided an opportunity to recognize the achievements of the past three decades while reaffirming the need for stronger government-private sector collaboration to drive investment, industrialization, job creation and sustainable economic growth.
ENDS
