New business network seeks to deepen Kenya-Uganda trade

Kenyan and Ugandan entrepreneurs are being urged to move beyond traditional business relationships and forge stronger partnerships in investment, production, technology and knowledge exchange to deepen economic integration in East Africa.

The call was made by Kenya’s High Commissioner to Uganda, Ambassador Ababu Namwamba, during the launch of Business Network Uganda (BNU), a platform bringing together entrepreneurs, professionals and investors to create opportunities for trade and investment across the region.

Namwamba said closer collaboration between the private sectors of Kenya and Uganda could unlock new markets, mobilise capital and expertise, and strengthen the wider East African economy.

“As neighbours and EAC partners, Kenya and Uganda share deeply interconnected labour and economic markets. The Kenyan diaspora in Uganda is therefore not an isolated community; it is part of a wider East African economic space,” Namwamba said.

He said BNU could help turn the movement of people, capital and skills between the two countries into practical economic opportunities.

The launch comes as Kenya and Uganda continue to strengthen their economic ties within the East African Community, with Namwamba identifying commercial diplomacy and increased trade between the two countries as priorities during his tenure in Kampala.

Namwamba said the role of the diaspora should also evolve beyond sending money home through remittances.

Data from the Central Bank of Kenya shows that Kenya’s annual diaspora remittances reached about $5.04 billion in 2025, up from $4.945 billion in 2024.

However, Namwamba said the diaspora’s contribution to the economy should also include investment, technology transfer, skills, market access and international networks.

“The diaspora is no longer viewed simply as a source of remittances. Governments now frame the diaspora as a strategic development partner capable of mobilising capital, transferring skills and technology, opening markets and strengthening international networks,” he said.

He challenged entrepreneurs in Kampala to view Kenya as more than a destination for trade, saying it could also serve as a market, production base and source of capital and expertise.

“An entrepreneur in Kampala should see Kenya not only as a place to send money, but as a market in which to invest, a production base with which to partner and an ecosystem in which capital, technology and expertise can be deployed,” Namwamba said.

Investment opportunities

Namwamba urged BNU to work with government agencies, including the Diaspora Investment Support Office (DISO) and the Kenya High Commission, to identify viable and bankable investment opportunities for entrepreneurs.

He proposed mapping members’ investment interests and capacities, identifying projects in Kenya and Uganda, facilitating joint ventures and syndicated investments, and linking young entrepreneurs to mentorship, markets and finance.

“Let BNU become a platform for investment, innovation, knowledge exchange, mentorship, market access and Kenya-Uganda enterprise partnerships,” he said.

The High Commissioner also called for structured professional exchanges between the two countries, including sector-specific forums, mentorship programmes and partnerships involving universities, professional bodies and research institutions.

He said expertise acquired abroad should be shared across the region to support economic development.

“Expertise acquired abroad does not have to remain abroad; it can circulate between Kenya, Uganda and the wider region for mutual benefit,” Namwamba said.

The launch was attended by Irene Mugisha, chief executive officer of the Presidential CEO Forum, and Stephen Kalibbala, who represented the president of the Uganda National Chamber of Commerce and Industry.

They emphasised the need for greater private-sector participation in shaping policies that support business growth, investment and regional trade.

The launch of BNU, which trades under Bizsphere Club, is intended to provide a structured platform for Kenyan and Ugandan businesses to connect, exchange expertise, identify investment opportunities and establish partnerships.

The initiative comes as East African countries seek to deepen regional integration by expanding intra-regional trade, investment and private-sector cooperation.

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