UNLOCKING INDUSTRIAL COMPETITIVENESS THROUGH INNOVATION

The Private Sector Foundation (PSFU) in partnership with the Alliance for Green Revolution in Africa, together with the Ministry of Trade will convene and host the Third Annual Regional Industrialization Conference (RIC) 2026 in Uganda. Scheduled for August 18-19, 2026 the conference is expected to attract 800 delegates from over 10 countries including heads of state, ministers, investors, development partners and captains of industry. The theme for this year will be ‘Unlocking Industrial Competitiveness through Innovation and Regional Value Chain Integration.’

RIC 2026 will focus on driving practical outcomes, through investment mobilization; policy alignment and strengthened regional production systems. The conference program will feature a presidential roundtable for East African leaders, a regional industrial investment forum, targeting over USD $500 million in investment opportunities; technical sessions on strategic value chains, and an industrial exhibition showcasing innovation and manufacturing potential across the region.

At the launch of the forthcoming conference, Mr. Stephen Asiimwe, Chief Executive Officer of the Private Sector Foundation said, “Today, we are not just launching a conference, we’re launching a decisive moment for East Africa’s industrial future.”

East Africa is a market of 400 million people, with access to 1.4 billion consumers under the Africa Continental Free Trade Area (AfCTA). Yet, we process less than 20% of the agricultural output locally and intra-regional trade remains below 15%. This is not just a statistic; it is a missed opportunity at scale. I asked Mr. Stephen Asiimwe what the 3rd round RIC conference aims to achieve, “If the initial conference in 2024 set the agenda and RIC 2025 built the framework, then RIC 2026 is about execution, investment, value chains and measurable outcomes,” he quipped.

David Wozemba, who heads the Alliance for Grain Revolution in Africa (AGRA) in Uganda underscored the central role of agriculture in industrialization, laying emphasis on partnerships across the region, to raise productivity and create marketable surplus. He said that they are working to de-risk agro-processing through structured markets and finance, align policy to support regional trade in processed foods under AfCTA. He stated that industrialization without food security is incomplete and that agriculture, without value addition, is unfinished business.

The call to action for the private sector was equally clear. Stephen Asiimwe, CEO of PSFU, urged businesses to take a leading role in shaping outcomes, “We need your firm commitment, active partnership and full endorsement. This is your platform—seize it and utilize it. Invest in bankable projects, form strategic partnerships and joint ventures, scale proven innovations across the region and share expertise through technology transfer.”

Regional integration and self-reliance emerged as a key theme. Simon Kaheru, EABC Vice Chair, emphasised the urgency of shifting from external dependence to regional capacity, “East Africa can deliver what it decides to deliver. One of our Partner States has achieved wheat self-sufficiency in just five years—proof that when we commit, we produce. No more relying on distant geopolitics. The regional imperative is clear; grow individually, integrate collectively. Tomorrow we should source wheat from Ethiopia, not Ukraine. Substitute external dependencies with East African capacity.”

Government reaffirmed its commitment to translating dialogue into action. Richard Jabo, Principal Economist at the Ministry of Finance, Planning and Economic Development, noted, “Government has committed to take the outcomes of this conference and turn them into real policy reforms and budget priorities that will drive Uganda’s transformation. We’ve been asked to refresh previous proposals into concrete, actionable ideas and they are ready to push them forward.”

East Africa stands at a critical moment. With access to a 400 million-strong regional market and the broader 1.4 billion-person AfCFTA market, the region has unprecedented potential for industrial growth.

RIC 2026 is designed to close these gaps by mobilizing investment, strengthening regional value chains and aligning policy frameworks across the East African Community.

The conference is supported by a group of regional and international stakeholders, including PSFU, AGRA, the East African Business Council, TradeMark Africa, the East African Development Bank (EADB) and the Government of Uganda—demonstrating a unified commitment to building competitive, integrated and sustainable industrial ecosystems.

To ensure accountability, RIC 2026 will produce a Presidential Communiqué with trackable commitments, followed by a RIC Policy Scorecard within 90 days to monitor implementation.

Dennis Katungi is Head of Communications & Media Relations at Uganda Media Centre

@Dennis\_Katungi