Uganda Pushes Saudi Arabia for More Investment in Agro-processing, Technology and Trade

What the report says

Uganda has renewed efforts to attract more Saudi investment and expand trade ties, with Trade Minister Sanjay Tanna meeting Saudi Arabia’s ambassador to Uganda, Mohammed Bin Khalil Faroudah, to discuss opportunities in agro-processing, tourism, mining, manufacturing and digital infrastructure. According to Nile Post, the talks focused on turning the relationship into more practical investment and market-access partnerships.

Tanna said Uganda wants Saudi support for markets and capital that can help local producers move from raw agricultural output to higher-value products. He highlighted several farming and livestock value chains open to cooperation, including maize, beans, milk, poultry, beef, fish, cassava, cocoa, honey and shea butter. He also pointed to Uganda’s sugar surplus as an area where wider export access could support production growth. Beyond agriculture, he invited Saudi investors to look at tourism sites, mineral value addition and manufacturing, and said Uganda is exploring a possible data-centre project with a Saudi company and an Indian partner.

Ambassador Faroudah welcomed the push for closer cooperation and urged faster work on the Saudi-Uganda Joint Technical Committee for Trade Development, which was established in 2025 to address trade and investment issues. The committee is intended to help identify priority sectors and remove barriers to commerce.

The report said Uganda’s exports to Saudi Arabia remain relatively small compared with imports, underscoring why Kampala is seeking wider market access and more Gulf investment. More broadly, Uganda’s outreach reflects a regional effort to draw capital from Gulf economies and support industrial development.