Uganda targets 350 exhibitors at 26th regional trade fair in Kigali
Kadaga said the upcoming Kigali fair is expected to build on these achievements by creating more opportunities for businesses to connect with buyers, investors and distributors from across East Africa.
First Deputy Prime Minister and Minister of EAC Affairs Rebecca Kadaga. (File)
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Uganda is targeting about 350 exhibitors at the 26th East African Community (EAC) Micro, Small and Medium Enterprises (MSMEs) Trade Fair scheduled to take place in Kigali, Rwanda, from October 30 to November 8, 2026.
First Deputy Prime Minister and Minister of EAC Affairs Rebecca Kadaga said 184 Ugandan enterprises had, by September 30th, registered for the regional trade exhibition.
Kadaga made the remarks on Wednesday (September 30) during a press briefing at the Ministry of East African Community Affairs (MEACA) headquarters in Kampala. Kadaga urged MSMEs, particularly those involved in leather and horticulture, to take advantage of the fair, which she said offers access to new markets and business networks.
The 26th edition will focus on advancing regional value chains in leather and horticulture, while also providing a platform for enterprises involved in agro-processing and other sectors to showcase their products.
The trade fair will run for 10 days, with each participating country allocated a day to showcase its products, enterprises and investment opportunities.
Kadaga said the annual trade fair, which has been held for the last 26 years, has grown from an artisans’ exhibition into a major regional platform bringing together entrepreneurs, policymakers, investors and development partners.
The participating EAC partner states are Burundi, the Democratic Republic of Congo (DRC), Kenya, Rwanda, Somalia, South Sudan, Tanzania and Uganda.
“The trade fair has been an instrument for integration, promoting intra-EAC trade and market access for locally produced goods,” Kadaga said.
Kadaga cited several success stories from previous editions, including Ugandan leather and metal workers who gained access to the Kenyan market in 2018.
She said food processors also secured markets in Kigali in 2019, while artisans obtained cross-border contracts in Burundi following the 2023 trade fair held in Bujumbura.
Ugandan metal fabricators further secured contracts in South Sudan in 2024, including orders to supply hospital beds and iron gates, she said.
At last year’s trade fair in Nairobi, Kadaga said women formed the largest contingent of Ugandan traders, while five Ugandan exporters received orders after the exhibition.
She said the upcoming Kigali fair is expected to build on these achievements by creating more opportunities for businesses to connect with buyers, investors and distributors from across East Africa.
Uganda Day will be held on November 7 under the theme “Recognition of Women in Trade Champions”.
Kadaga said the day would provide an opportunity to increase the visibility of women-owned enterprises and promote direct buying, business-to-business (B2B) linkages and access to markets across EAC partner states.
Ugandan exhibitors are expected to include food processors, herbal product manufacturers, metal fabricators, arts and crafts producers, textile and garment makers, cosmetics manufacturers, ceramics and wood-product businesses, as well as renewable-energy enterprises.
Kadaga said the event forms part of the EAC’s broader efforts to deepen regional integration by increasing trade and market access among partner states.
She also said the region’s progress towards a Political Confederation could eventually help address some of the barriers affecting trade and movement of goods across national borders.
Kadaga said the Common Market continues to face non-tariff barriers and protectionism, which affect businesses seeking to trade across partner states.
“There is still protectionism from different economies; that's why we have the non-tariff barriers. But we are working towards reducing them,” she said.
She said addressing such barriers would be important in enabling MSMEs to benefit fully from the opportunities created by regional integration.
Susan Namyalo Nakayenga, a senior MSMEs officer at the Ministry of Trade, Industry and Cooperatives, said the National Organising Committee (NOC) had brought together representatives from ministries, departments and agencies involved in organising the trade fair.
She said the committee is co-chaired by the Ministry of East African Community Affairs and includes the Uganda Revenue Authority, Ministry of Foreign Affairs, Ministry of Internal Affairs and the private sector.
The private sector is represented by the Confederation for Micro, Small and Medium Enterprises Organisation.