The INVITE Project is not only a robust change agent for the manufacturing and export sectors but also a unique initiative that is well placed to contribute to economic development as it plays a key role aligned with the GoU Tenfold Growth Strategy. The Ministry of Finance, Planning and Economic Development (MoFPED) held the 16th National Competitiveness Forum on Thursday October 23rd 2025, at the Golf Course Hotel in Kampala whose theme was “Leveraging regional opportunities for food processing and Animal feeds sectors in Uganda”.
The forum showcased the INVITE Project Export Firm Support (EFS) sub-component that supports firms to enter new export markets, or expand their presence through upgrading firms’ organizational and production capacities to deliver to the demand of foreign buyers. The interactive forum had over two hundred participants who welcomed relevant information on the availability of INVITE Project financing, and shared experiences in the manufacturing, agro-processing and export sectors.
The INVITE Project EFS Manager Mr Daniel Kisekka informed the private sector leaders in manufacturing and export, and government representatives in attendance that the EFS boosts manufacturing and exporting firms in production of value-added manufactured products, reiterating the fact that “commodities are not eligible for funding,” and this is crucial for competitiveness in regional and high-income markets.
He added that” INVITE is providing Ugandan manufacturing and exporting firms with support to further invest in their businesses with the aim of increasing the statuses of businesses to high capability.” This will enable the firms to add value to their products and compete in high income global markets with improved quality products for export. Additionally, a significant expansion of the country’s manufactured products will be readied for export and will also allow the entry of new firms to begin to export.
The EFS has so far run Calls for Proposals (CFP) and 208 eligible firms out of over 300 hundred applicants in round one and two were processed between 2024 and 2025. Between Call 1 and Call 2, a total of 101 firms were issued grant agreements which have been signed and USD$743,166 approximately UGX2,641,584,328 committed for their activities. The applicants in Call 1 received UGX 1,321,238,080 and Call 2 UGX1,320,346,248 among 54 and 57 applicants respectively. The businesses who qualify will get reimbursements of up to 80% of their costs for each activity they carry out.
The EFS is targeting enrolling as many as 900 export firms, including 25 women-led and enabling 1,800 jobs in the manufacturing and export sectors. Eligible Ugandan firms from all over the country have the opportunity to apply for funding support, including those that previously missed the mark and are now better equipped and have passed the eligibility criteria.
The INVITE project as a whole aims to create Private Sector Manufacturing jobs and increase incomes across Uganda by supporting firms and will operate a range of products including, Developing Exporting Firm Capabilities; Investment in Refugee and Host District Supply Chains; Partial Credit Guarantee for Business Loans; Long-term Flexible Loans in Uganda Shillings; Cost-sharing of Loan Extensions; Loan Interest Discount; and Accelerated Invoice Payments.
The Government of Uganda (GoU) project, financed by the World Bank and other development partners including the Netherlands, the United Kingdom, and Sweden through a Multi-Donor Trust Fund (MDTF) standing at USD$218,000,000, represents one of the country’s largest investments to date.
