Uganda's Abuja Mission Invites Diaspora to Register and Join Trade Drive

The Uganda High Commission in Nigeria has invited Ugandans living in the country to register with the mission and help turn growing trade between the two countries into investment at home. Ambassador Philip Odida, Uganda's chargé d'affaires in Nigeria, made the appeal at a celebration of Uganda's 64th independence anniversary in Abuja. The event was the first community-wide gathering of Ugandans in the city in several years.

The celebration, themed "Sovereignty in action: our unity, economic empowerment and the power of the diaspora", was organised with the Uganda Diaspora Executive. Odida described the event as "a new beginning, a renewed determination by us to reach out and connect with you". He said the community includes professionals, entrepreneurs, business people, academics, students and skilled workers.

The mission plans to use the registration data to build a database of Ugandans living in Nigeria, their skills and interests, and improve consular services. The database will also identify Ugandan-owned businesses, professionals and investors in Nigeria and connect them with partners in Uganda. Additionally, it will link Ugandan academics, technocrats and business people with institutions, companies and young people at home.

The appeal follows the Nigeria-Uganda Business Forum and Exhibition, which the High Commission helped organise in Kampala from September 9 to 11. The forum drew Nigerian investors interested in importing Ugandan dairy products and livestock and in investing in minerals and agro-processing. Trade between the two countries has grown quickly, rising from about $4m in 2020 to about $34m in the most recent year.

Uganda exports fish, powdered milk and coffee to Nigeria, while a Nigerian delegation has visited Ugandan government agencies to learn the requirements for setting up businesses in sectors including cement manufacturing, pharmaceuticals and tobacco. The two governments are also working on a bilateral trade framework, with talks at an advanced stage.

The mission's trade work is part of Uganda's Economic and Commercial Diplomacy strategy for 2025-26 to 2029-30, launched in August 2025. The strategy supports the government's Tenfold Growth Strategy, which aims to expand the economy from $50bn to $500bn by 2040. The diaspora is central to this plan, with remittances from Ugandans abroad rising from $1.9bn to $2.8bn.

Ambassador Odida credited the Uganda Diaspora Executive with bringing the community together and asked it to strengthen its structures, widen participation and identify credible business opportunities. The mission plans regular community meetings, professional networking events, business meetings and cultural activities to keep the community engaged. Kenya's High Commissioner to Nigeria, Isaac Parashina, was the chief guest at the event.

Key points

• The Uganda High Commission in Nigeria has invited its diaspora to register and participate in growing trade between the two countries.