Gold, coffee drive Uganda's sh3.38 trillion September exports

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Gold, coffee and base metals in September greatly contributed to Uganda's merchandise exports, according to the finance ministry's latest performance of the economy report.

The exports amounted to $947.33 million (about shillings 3.38 trillion) in September 2025, representing a 35.8 per cent increase from $697.60 million (about shillings 2.49 trillion) recorded a month earlier. 

The report released on November 17, 2025, says the growth in exports was largely driven by higher receipts from commodities such as gold, coffee, base metals and their products, crude oil (excluding petroleum products), oil re-exports, as well as fish and its products.

Lower earnings

Coffee exports benefited from increased domestic production in the central and eastern regions of the country. 

"However, on a month-on-month basis, export earnings dropped by 10.32 per cent from $1,056.37 million (about shillings 3.7 trillion) in August 2025 $947.33 million (about shillings 3.38 trillion) in September 2025. This was driven by lower earnings from commodities, including gold, sugar, cocoa beans, oil re-exports and base metal exports.

UAE tops export destination

The report says the Middle East remained Uganda’s leading export destination, accounting for 32.98 per cent of total merchandise exports. 

Within this region, the United Arab Emirates dominated the market, absorbing 97.12 per cent of Uganda’s exports to the Middle East. 

"Other key export destinations included the East African Community (25.7 per cent), Asia (16.7 per cent), and the European Union (15.2 per cent), respectively," the report reads.