Bahati challenges Ugandan businesses to embrace innovation, value addition
He made the remarks on August 14, 2026, while delivering the keynote address at the 2026 Business Excellence Awards at Sheraton Kampala Hotel, held under the theme “Celebrating Excellence, Inspiring Innovation.”
The State Minister for Industry, David Bahati, made the remarks on August 14, 2026, while delivering the keynote address at the 2026 Business Excellence Awards at Sheraton Kampala Hotel. (Courtesy photo)
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Uganda's business community must embrace innovation, technology and value addition if the country is to accelerate economic transformation and compete effectively in regional and international markets, industry state minister David Bahati has said.
Bahati said businesses can no longer rely on traditional ways of producing and selling goods, urging entrepreneurs to invest in technology, their workforce and new products that can compete beyond Uganda's borders.
He made the remarks on August 14, 2026, while delivering the keynote address at the 2026 Business Excellence Awards at Sheraton Kampala Hotel, held under the theme “Celebrating Excellence, Inspiring Innovation.”
“Uganda’s economic transformation will be driven by a strong and productive private sector working hand in hand with the government,” Bahati said.
He said the government would continue supporting local manufacturers and businesses through policies aimed at promoting value addition, affordable financing, infrastructure development and consumption of Ugandan-made products.
He also urged entrepreneurs to invest in their employees and adopt modern technologies to improve productivity and remain competitive as businesses increasingly compete for markets across East Africa and beyond.
Bahati said strengthening the partnership between the public and private sectors would be critical if Uganda is to turn its economic potential into sustained growth.
He urged businesses to view innovation not simply as a way of increasing profits but as a means of creating better products, improving efficiency and opening new markets for Ugandan goods.
The Minister's call comes as Uganda seeks to expand its manufacturing base and reduce dependence on exporting raw materials, with value addition identified as a key component of the country's industrialisation strategy.
Bahati said businesses that embrace innovation would be better positioned to respond to changing consumer demands and access wider markets.
Among the night's biggest winners was Euro Gold Refinery, which received the Platinum Award for Best Natural Resources and Extractives Company in Uganda, while its chief executive officer, Bernard Feni, was also named Best Entrepreneur of the Year 2026.
Feni attributed the recognition to the company's emphasis on transparency, job creation and business excellence, saying the award represented more than his personal achievement.
“This award is not to me as the CEO of Euro Gold Refinery as the Best Entrepreneur, but this award is to all the youth of Uganda that believe in themselves,” Feni said.
He said the recognition demonstrated the importance of validating businesses that are creating employment and contributing to Uganda's economy.
“We believe in validation, we believe in job creation, and we believe in transparency, and it is because of this that we are able to receive this award,” Feni said.
The awards, organised by Consumer Publications Uganda, were based on consumer-driven research rather than popularity alone, with businesses assessed on factors including quality, service, value, integrity and innovation.