By Nasser Kayanja
The Prime Minister of Uganda, Robinah Nabbanja, has called on investors to move beyond simple assembly operations and instead establish full manufacturing plants in the country in order to maximise economic benefits and create more jobs.
Nabbanja made the remarks while addressing more than 500 employees at the facility of Spiro located in Namanve Industrial Park during a tour to assess the company’s progress in producing electric two-wheel motorcycles.
The Prime Minister noted that Uganda possesses abundant natural resources, including minerals that can support value addition and industrial production. She encouraged companies, particularly those involved in processing iron ore and related materials, to transition from assembling imported parts to fully manufacturing products locally.
According to Nabbanja, strengthening local manufacturing would expand employment opportunities and contribute more significantly to the country’s economy.
She further emphasized that science, technology and innovation play a vital role in improving people’s livelihoods. Nabbanja said Uganda is positioning itself to become a leader in electric mobility in Africa and could soon begin exporting electric vehicles produced locally.
The Minister for Science, Technology and Innovation, Monica Musenero, who accompanied the Prime Minister on the visit, said the country aims to scale up production of electric vehicles as part of its industrial development strategy.
Musenero revealed that Uganda is targeting the production of about 500,000 electric vehicle units, with a strong focus on localizing manufacturing processes. She said this initiative will help reduce environmental pollution while creating more employment opportunities.
Officials from Spiro said the company has so far invested more than US$25 million in its operations in Uganda. The firm has already deployed around 19,000 electric motorcycles across the country and currently supports over 2,000 jobs.
In addition, the company has established a training program known as the Spiro Academy and developed a network of more than 2,000 battery-swapping stations to support the growing use of electric motorcycles.
