Will Namanve rewrite Uganda’s industrial story?

What the report says

The Observer reports that infrastructure works at the Kampala Industrial and Business Park in Namanve have reached about 80% completion, marking a major change for an estate that previously struggled with muddy access roads, flooding and undeveloped industrial land. The 2,400-hectare park now has paved internal roads, solar-powered street lighting and improved drainage, with a section of roads in the North Estate described as ready for commissioning.

According to the report, the Namanve Industrial Park Infrastructure Project is backed by the Uganda government and United Kingdom Export Finance, with financing from Standard Chartered Bank. The Uganda Investment Authority is implementing the project, while Lagan DOTT Namanve Ltd is handling construction. Eng. Andrew Bamanya of Lagan DOTT said the site posed a major engineering challenge because much of the land was swampy and required soil stabilisation before road construction could proceed.

The Observer cites Uganda Investment Authority and Uganda Revenue Authority figures indicating that the park now has about 480 factories, with nearly 280 operational, compared with roughly 15 factories under development when construction began. Businesses in the park reportedly contribute around US$3 billion annually in tax revenue, while the project investment is put at about €215 million. The report also cites estimates of 28,000 direct jobs and 150,000 indirect jobs linked to supply chains.

The development is presented as part of Uganda’s wider industrialisation ambitions, including the Tenfold Growth Strategy targeting a much larger economy by 2040. The project also includes water systems, electricity distribution, fibre connectivity, CCTV and stormwater drainage. The contractor told The Observer substantial completion is expected by the end of the year.