THE REPUBLIC OF UGANDA
Opening Remarks
By: Rt. Hon. Robinah Nabbanja
Prime Minister
_________________________________
At the National Budget Conference for
FY 2026/2027 Budget Strategy.

Theme: “Full Monetization of Uganda’s Economy through Commercial Agriculture, Industrialization, Expanding and Broadening Services, Digital Transformation and Market Access”.

Speke Resort and Convention Center, Munyonyo
Thursday, 11th September 2025.

The Rt. Hon. Deputy Prime Ministers
Honourable Ministers,
The Honourable Members of Parliament,
Members of the Diplomatic Corps,
Local Government Leaders,
Representatives of the Civil Society,
The Private Sector,
All Accounting Officers of Government,
Ladies and Gentlemen.
1.First and foremost, I wish to thank His Excellency the President of the Republic of Uganda, Gen. (Rtd.) Yoweri Museveni, for successfully steering the recently concluded NRM Party elections, from structures to the CEC levels. I also wish to take this opportunity to congratulate all those who managed to retain their seats in their respective constituencies. As we head to the general elections in January 2026, please ensure you consolidate on the success so far achieved at this state.
2.Ladies and Gentlemen, at this juncture, I welcome you all to this National Budget Conference for FY 2026/2027 which kick-starts the consultative process for preparation of the Budget for FY 2026/2027. This will be guided by the theme: Full Monetization of Uganda’s Economy through Commercial Agriculture, Industrialization, Expanding and Broadening Services, Digital Transformation, and Market Access.
3.The Budget for FY2026/27 is a special budget, as follows:
i.It will be the first to implement the next National Resistance Movement (NRM) Manifesto for the period FY2026/27 – 2030/31;
ii.It will be the first to implement the new Charter for Fiscal Responsibility in line with Section 4 (1) of the Public Finance Management Act, 2015 Cap.171; and
iii.The second budget to implement the fourth National Development Plan (NDPIV) which is the first of the six NDPs to deliver the Tenfold Growth Strategy.
4.I commend the Honorable Minister of Finance, Planning, and Economic Development and his technical team for spearheading this process.
5.Ladies and Gentlemen, the Budget Strategy for next financial year acknowledges the achievements in socioeconomic transformation to-date, and it places special focus on strengthening the coordination and implementation of Government programs by improving efficiency, strengthening project execution, and increasing productivity of programs to deliver more results within the available resources.
6.On that note, therefore, the Budget Strategy aims at deepening the implementation of the anchor growth sectors of the Agro-Industrialization, Tourism Development, Mineral-Based Industrial Development, Science Technology and Innovation including ICT and Creative Arts Industry (ATMS) and, the Enablers.
7.The Honourable Minister of Finance Planning and Economic Development will expound the specific priority areas for the ATMS and Enablers in the Budget for FY2026/27 later in his speech. I request all of you to pay keen attention to his speech as he guides us.
8.As I have already indicated to you, next year’s budget takes into consideration the new policy targets for the new Manifesto to guide the next term, from 2026/27 – 2030/31, guided by the Charter for Fiscal Responsibility. I urge all Ministers and Accounting Officers, to ensure they align their priorities and budgets to the new policy guidance and direction.
9.Government’s position is to deliver Uganda into the middle-income status through the Tenfold Growth Strategy of growing the economy tenfold from the base of USD 61.3 billion in FY2025/26 to USD 500 billion by the year 2040. This calls for a whole of Government approach around a common goal consensus in the implementation of the agreed policy objectives and targets.
10.As guided by H.E. The President during the State of the Nation Address earlier in June this year, the four principles of Patriotism, Pan-Africanism, Socioeconomic Transformation and Democracy should help in catapulting Uganda to a modern society guided by the following areas:
i.Peace and security of persons and their property, in all parts of the Country;
ii.Accelerating industrialization, with focus on building factories, which use locally available materials as inputs;
iii.Export promotion and import substitution, by boosting the domestic manufacturing capacity;
iv.Strengthening the private sector;
v.Increasing market access for our exports both in the regional markets, such as EAC, COMESA, among others and international markets;
vi.Skilling our youth, through the Zonal Industrial Hubs. The youth will continue to acquire skills in tailoring, carpentry, metal fabrication, welding, shoe-making, weaving, hairdressing, knitting and bakery. We shall add plumbing and motor mechanics. The training is free of charge and no prior education qualifications are required;
vii.Increasing revenue collection, by Uganda Revenue Authority, without hurting businesses;
viii.Expenditure rationalization, by restructuring government.
ix.Fighting corruption; and
x.Ensuring that the remaining 33% of the homesteads, still practising subsistence agriculture, join the money economy, through wealth creation. This includes Government Programs such as the Parish Development Model, Emyooga, Agriculture Credit Facility, GROW, INVITE, Youth Livelihoods Program, Uganda Women Empowerment Program, among others.
11.I therefore, urge all Ministers and Accounting Officers, to ensure their priority areas for next financial year, are aligned to the ATMS and enablers in line with the NRM ideology. And as we start the planning and budgeting process for FY 2026/27, our task is to ensure we are all committed to the efforts lifting the 33% of our population from the subsistence economy to the money economy by working through Government wealth creation programs such as the Parish Development Program, Emyooga, Youth Venture Funds, GROW, INVITE, Agriculture Credit Facility, Small Business Recovery Fund, Uganda Development Bank, Microfinance Support Center among others.
12. Furthermore, I wish to reiterate the message of coordinated planning and budgeting through the Ministry of Finance, Planning and Economic Development to ensure that all Government interventions adhere to the modern policies and principles of economic growth and development.
13.We need to boost our domestic revenue collection to achieve our targets and minimize borrowing both domestically and externally as this undermines the realization of Uganda’s development.
14.Our capacity to identify any risks and put forward feasible mitigation measures will help us in ensuring we contain any domestic and external shocks on our economy without undermining our growth strategy.
15.To the Diplomatic Corps and Development Partners, Members of the Civil Society and the Private Sector, I call upon you to join the Government in this consultative process for purpose of goal consensus in our bid to plan better for this country. Your efforts are always appreciated.
16.To all the people of Uganda, I call on you, without any forms of discrimination, to take advantage of the priority areas provided therein, to suit your best interests as we strive to graduate to the middle-income status.

17.I thank you all for listening to me.

For God and My Country.

Robinah Nabanja, PRIME MINISTER
September 2025.