Registration has officially opened for the National Trade Review Conference 2026, a flagship national platform convened by the Ministry of Trade, Industry and Cooperatives to reposition trade as a central driver of Uganda’s long-term economic transformation.
Scheduled for 4th–5th March 2026 at Speke Resort Munyonyo, the Conference will run under the theme “Trade-Driven Transformation: Propelling Uganda to a $500B Economy by 2040.” The gathering is designed to align the country’s trade strategy with its ambitious target of expanding the economy tenfold—from approximately US$50 billion to US$500 billion by 2040.
The Conference will bring together between 250 and 350 participants drawn from government ministries, departments and agencies, private sector leaders, MSMEs, cooperatives, academia, civil society, development partners, regional trade bodies and the media. It is structured as a high-level, evidence-based, multi-stakeholder dialogue aimed at generating actionable policy and strategy recommendations to accelerate Uganda’s Tenfold Growth Strategy anchored on Agro-industrialisation, Tourism Development, Mineral Development, and Science, Technology and Innovation.
A key highlight of the event will be the launch of the revised National Trade Policy, the National Export Development Strategy, the National Trade Policy Development and Implementation Plan, and an Online Reporting Platform. These instruments are expected to guide regulatory reforms, promote export competitiveness, strengthen services trade, scale agro-industrial value chains, and support minerals-based industrialisation, while enhancing trade standards and quality compliance.
Speaking ahead of the Conference, Anna Nambooze, Country Director of Trade Mark Africa, said the initiative reflects a commitment to practical reforms that reduce the cost of doing business, improve border efficiency, and enhance value-chain competitiveness, with a strong emphasis on inclusion of women and youth.
In addition to attendance registration, exhibitor registration has also opened, offering businesses an opportunity to showcase innovations, build partnerships and engage policymakers. The Conference is supported by UK International Development and TradeMark Africa and is expected to produce a time-bound national communiqué and implementation matrix to fast-track Uganda’s trade-driven growth agenda.