The Ministry of Trade, Industry and Cooperatives (MTIC) announced that registration has officially opened for the National Trade Review Conference (TRC) 2026.
The high-level national platform is designed to align Uganda’s trade strategy with its ambition to expand the economy tenfold from approximately US$50 billion to US$500 billion by 2040.
Held under the theme, “Trade-Driven Transformation: Propelling Uganda to a $500B Economy by 2040,” the Conference is scheduled to take place on 4th–5th March 2026 at Speke Resort Munyonyo, Kampala.
The Conference supported by UK International Development and Trademark Africa was positioned as a national, evidence based, multi-stakeholder dialogue intended to generate actionable trade policy and strategy recommendations to accelerate Uganda’s Tenfold Growth Strategy, anchored on the ATMS model, Agro-industrialization, Tourism Development, Mineral Development, and Science, Technology and Innovation.
The Ministry indicated that the Conference would convene 250–350 participants, including Government Ministries, Departments and Agencies, private sector leaders, MSMEs, cooperatives, civil society, academia, development partners, regional trade bodies, and media organizations.
The platform would provide a stocktake of Uganda’s trade performance and readiness to leverage the tenfold growth strategy, while producing a time-bound national communique and an implementation matrix for follow-up.
A major highlight of the Conference will be the launch of the revised National Trade Policy (NTP), the National Export Development Strategy (NEDS), the National Trade Policy Development and Implementation Plan, and an Online Reporting Platform.
These instruments were expected to guide regulatory reforms, export promotion, services trade competitiveness, minerals-based industrialization, agro-industrial value chain scaling, cooperative led trade expansion, and the application of trade policy to promote trade order, quality, and standardization.
According to Anna Nambooze, the Trademark Africa’s Country Director, TradeMark Africa’s support for this Conference reflects the commitment to enabling trade through integrated and practical reforms that reduce the cost of doing business, improve border efficiency, strengthen standards and SPS compliance, and enhance value-chain competitiveness, while promoting the inclusion of women and youth.
She added that nearly two decades after the current Trade Policy was adopted, the Conference provides a timely platform to unveil Uganda’s revised National Trade Policy and National Export Development Strategy.
“By strengthening coordination across trade institutions and stakeholders, the Conference will help align priorities, accelerate reform implementation, and reinforce trade as a key driver of Uganda’s Ten-Fold Growth ambition,” Nambooze stated.
The Ministry called upon businesses across manufacturing, agro-manufacturing, agro-processing, ICT and digital trade, logistics, financial services, minerals, high-value manufacturing, cooperative enterprises, and services sectors to register their attendance via processing, ICT and digital trade, logistics, financial services, minerals, high value manufacturing, cooperative enterprises, and services sectors to register their attendance through https://nationaltradereview.ug and participate in shaping Uganda’s trade-driven transformation agenda.
In addition to the exhibition component was described as a strategic opportunity for businesses to showcase innovations, build partnerships, engage policymakers, and position their enterprises within Uganda’s evolving trade and industrial policy landscape. Exhibition space was noted to be limited and would be allocated on a first-come, first-served basis.
The Ministry stated that the National Trade Review Conference 2026 would strengthen stakeholder coordination, generate practical reform commitments, increase media awareness of Uganda’s trade policy direction, and accelerate implementation of strategies aimed at driving export growth, value addition, structural transformation, and inclusive economic development.
