In a bid to boost economic transformation, the Made in Uganda (MIU) project has been launched to help redefine how Ugandans produce, buy, and sell local products.
According to the minister for Science, Technology and Innovation, Dr Monica Musenero, from finely crafted goods to cutting-edge technology, MIU is built to showcase and scale the depth of Ugandan innovation, creativity, and industry.
The platform promotes, aggregates, and distributes Ugandan-made products through a unified commerce ecosystem that combines an online marketplace, physical retail outlets, and a robust fulfillment infrastructure.
Designed to open both local and global markets to Ugandan producers, MIU offers direct access for artisans, SMEs, and manufacturers to customers across the country and beyond. Rooted in economic empowerment, value addition, local manufacturing, and strategic branding, the initiative provides a launchpad for Ugandan entrepreneurs to reach customers in ways never before possible.
“It may not be as efficient as WhatsApp, TikTok, or even Apple phones, but those developers also started small, and you tolerated their inefficiencies. Why not tolerate ours and give us a chance to grow?” said Musenero at the recent 2nd National ICT Summit.
She emphasized that supporting local products is not just patriotic, but essential for long-term national progress. Musenero also warned against Uganda’s overdependence on foreign technologies, stressing.
“A country can be digitally connected but still economically disconnected if it doesn’t produce, capture, and retain digital value.”
She described Uganda’s tendency to wait for polished foreign solutions – what she called the “eclipse problem” as a national challenge that MIU aims to change. With MIU, the playing field is levelled for everyone, from a fashion designer in Mbale to a herbal soap maker in Fort Portal, to a software developer in Kampala, she said.
Moses Byaruhanga, venture lead for Made in Uganda, describes the project as “A unified ecosystem that brings together an online marketplace, physical retail outlets, and a robust fulfillment network, all designed to support and connect local producers. It champions economic empowerment, value addition, local manufacturing, and improved market access through technology and strategic branding.”
MIU envisions becoming Uganda’s most impactful commerce platform, championing local innovation, enabling sustainable livelihoods, and delivering unmatched value to both buyers and sellers.