Finance

The rapid growth of the

informal sector in Wakiso
district offers opportunities

Population
1,997,418 (UBOS 2014)

Manufacturing
Foods & beverages sector
(25%), cosmetics (13%),
confectionary, plastics and
packaging materials are also
dominant

Mining Opportunities
Kaolin, beryllium, Bismutotantalite,
Amblygonite, clays, sand gravel, and
construction materials such as granites.

Agriculture
280,772.3 hectares of which only
97,166.3 Hectares (34.61) per cent is
used for agricultural production

Located in the central region 2,807.75 square kilometers. 882 Administrative Units.
Four Municipalities 12 Municipal
Wakiso District Investment Nine
Divisions ProfileTown 1
Councils
Six Sub-counties 148 parishes and 704 villages. Ministry of Local Operation
Government Wealth Creation
Wakiso District Investment Profile 2
 Administrative Boundaries of
Wakiso District 2016

Nakaseke District Luwero District

Masulita
SubCounty

Namayumba Masulita
Town Council
Mityana District

Masulita Town Council Nansana

SubCounty Municipal Council

Namayumba
SubCounty Mende
Sub County Kasangati
Kakiri Town Council
Legend

sc_ boder

Town Council
Kakiri
Sub County
Wakiso
Town Council
Kira
Municipality
Wakiso
Sub County
Kampala
Capital City
Mpigi
District Kyengera
Town Council

Makindye Ssabagabo
Municipality

SOKOLO Lak e
Vi c to ri a

Kajjansi
Town Council

Kasanje
Sub Country
Mukono District
Katabi
Town Council

Bussi
Sub Country

Entebbe
Municipality

L a k e V i c t o r i a

Kalangala District

Wakiso District Investment Profile 3

 Foreword by
LC V Chairperson
I
nvestment has come to be widely recognized
over the past decade as a major potential
contributor to local economic growth and
development. It can bring capital, technology,
management know-how and above all create
jobs for our people. This Investment Profile
highlights opportunities available in Wakiso
district and underlines the importance we attach
to attracting Investments ( local and foreign) to
our district and the country at large for Local
Economic Development(LED).

We believe that every journey has a starting
point and therefore this profile marks the start
of our investment promotion drive whose
objective is to position Wakiso district as
preferable investment destination for many
firms. It is a journey that brings together two
or more parties with complementary interests:
companies/individuals that seek new investment
opportunities and us; the district that seek new
investors. This is not always a straightforward
exercise, for companies are lured by specific
opportunities, and the district has economic and
social objectives to fulfill. This could be achieved
by embracing a Public-Private Partnership
model of development. We therefore welcome
investment projects that can be jointly executed
by the district in partnership with private
investors or wholly owned by a private investor.
Wakiso district boasts of a strong economy
having the highest GDP per capita, highest
Population and centrally located in between
the country’s biggest GDP zones. Choosing to
invest in our district is therefore economically
viable and offers immense opportunities of inter-
industry benefits with already existing investors.
It is therefore a great pleasure for me to extend my
invitation to potential investors to make Wakiso
district their choice. The district leadership at all
local levels is committed to supporting private
sector led growth which includes investments.
The success of already established businesses
in the manufacturing sector within the district is
testimony to this fact and should be an incentive
to other potential firms to invest in the Wakiso
district.

Matia Lwanga Bwanika

DISTRICT CHAIRPERSON –WAKISO

Wakiso District Investment Profile 4

 Message from the Chief
Administrative Officer
I
t is an honour to present this, the first Investment Profile (IP)
for Wakiso District, representing a new approach to investment
promotion as stipulated by the Local Economic Development
Policy under the Government of Uganda.

The district leadership is working to strengthen its strategic and

longterm governance approach that supports private sector
development. The investment promotion drive is therefore a step
towards this approach and is also aligned with the Government
of Uganda Investment Code and Free zones Act calling on local
governments to ensure that attracting investments reflect the
highest priorities and ensure value for Ugandans.

The investment profile highlights key areas were the district

will strive to improve and accelerate the provision of the much
needed services so as to spur investments. Focus will be improving The encouragement offered
economic infrastructure, regulatory systems and Public-private by the political fraternity of the
Partnerships. district could not be forgotten.

The idea of this investment profile is in line with above and seeks We look forward to building
to answer questions like what investment opportunities are on the lessons learned from
available in the district? This and many others can be answered by this first Investment Profile to
this profile. It also gives you an insight of the district local economy ensure effective allocation of
in summary. Many thanks to all the district Heads of Departments our resources to the highest
for your valuable input into this profile specifically to the District priorities of the people of
Commercial Office that spear headed the development of this Wakiso district.
document.

The district in a special way acknowledges the financial support of

Operation Wealth Creation(OWC) in production of this profile. Luke L . L . Lokuda
Also the support of Uganda Investment Authority (UIA), Uganda Chief Administrative Officer
Manufacturers Association (UMA), Uganda Revenue Authority
(URA) and Uganda Export Promotion Board (UEPB) cannot go
unnoticed in providing statistical data used in the profile.

Wakiso District Investment Profile 5

 SNAPSHOT ON
WAKISO DISTRICT
Geography & Demographics

District
Location Neighbors Headquarters
Central Region, District Kampala, Mpigi, Luwero, Located along Hoima Road,
Headquarters Nakaseke and Mityana , 16 Km from Kampala City
Mukono ,Kalangala

District area Population Population Strata

2,807.75 Square 1,997,418 (UBOS 2014) Male: 952,781
kilometers Female: 1,054,919

No. Households Average HH size No. Administrative

503.442 4 people
Units
882

Ethnicity
Baganda (68%),
Others-Bakiga, Banyakore, Basoga etc(32%)

Wakiso District Investment Profile 6

Social and Economic Characteristics
Agriculture, Fishing, Manufacturing, Sand
Main Economic Activity Mining, Tourism, Commercial services and
Informal business
GDP $4.3 Million

GDP per capita $3,250

No. Manufacturers 485

No. Exporting firms 170 (UEPB database)

No. Cooperative Societies 519

No. Supermarkets 124

No. Shopping malls 6

No. Local Market Facilities 40

No. Financial Institutions
No. Cultural & Religious Tourism Sites 47
Airports & Airstrips
Total Length of Road Network (Kms)
No. Hotels
14 Commercial Banks & 14 Microfinance
Institutions
2
1,564 (231 km- Paved, 556 km – Unpaved
Gravel, 777km – Unpaved Earth)
488 ( Hotels, Guest Houses, Lodges & Inns)

No. Recreation centers 11 Beaches on Lake Victoria

Sports Stadiums 2

No. Health Facilities 105

No. Secondary Schools 309

No. Primary schools 1,015

Water - Area covered by NWSC 844.42 sqkm out of 2807.75 sqkm

No. Gazetted Forest Reserves 19

No. Wetlands 12

Ramsar Sites 2

No. Community Based Organisations 826

Wakiso District Investment Profile 7

 Natural Resources
Type Natural Resource Economic use
Fishing, Tourism, Transport, irrigation and water front
Lake Victoria developments
Fertile soils & rainfall Agriculture, Apiculture, Aquaculture etc
Stone Quarrying, Sand mining, clay products, Kaolin
Minerals mining etc
Plywood, Carpentry works & Construction,
Forests recreation, Research, Ecotourism, Plantation, Natural
forests, Apiary
Wetlands Water sequestration, art and crafts , agriculture etc

Bees Honey, Bee wax and Venom

Wakiso District Investment Profile 8

 Geography &
Administrative Units
The District has 882 Administrative Units.
i. Four Municipalities (Kira, Nansana, Makindye Ssabagabo and Entebbe
MC)
ii. 12 Municipal Divisions: Kira, Bweyogrere, Namugongo Division
in Kira; Bunamwaya, Masajja and Ndejje in Makindye-Ssabagabo;
Busukuma, Gombe, Nabweru and Nansana in Nansana Municipality.
Divisions A and B in Entebbe municipality.
iii. Nine Town Councils (Wakiso, Kakiri, Masulita and Namayumba,
Kajjansi, Katabi, Kyengera, Kasangati and Kasanje TCs)
iv. Six Sub-counties (Wakiso, Kakiri, Masuliita, Namayumba and Mende)
v. A total of 148 parishes and 704 villages.

Demography Profile
Population Distribution by
Municipality
Entebbe According to UBOS 2014 population census, Wakiso District has
7%
a population of 1,997,418 people with 504,620 households.

Demographic breakdown by gender shows that 952,781

Nansana
(47.45%) of this population are males and 1,054,919
35% Kira (52.55%) females.
31%

Nansana municipality is the most populated with 35% of

the entire population of Wakiso, followed by Kira (31%),
Makindye Ssabagabo(27%) and Entebbe(7%) respectively.
Makindye Ssabagabo
27%

Wakiso District Investment Profile 9

Population Distribution by Town Councils
Masulita TC
Wakiso TC Namayumba TC
Kakiri TC
2% 2%
Kasanje TC 9%
3%
4%

Katabi TC
16% Kyengera TC
29%

Kasanga� TC
21%
Kajjansi TC
14%

Source: UBOS Statistics

• Kyengera Town Council (29%) has the highest number of households in the district
followed by Kasangati TC (21%), Katabi TC(16%), Kajjansi TC(14%), Wakiso TC(9%),
Kasanje TC(4%), Kakiri TC(3%), Namayumba TC (2%) and Masulita TC (2%) respectively.

Population Distribution by Sub-county

Kakiri
Masulita
Bussi 4%
5% 14% Mende
Namayumba 9%
6%

Wakiso
62%
Source: UBOS Statistics

Wakiso District Investment Profile 10

 725,236 800,000
Age group
700,000 The population of Wakiso District shows a
601,014
“younging structure” with majority falling within
600,000 the ages of 20 and 39 years range which implies
446,195 that there is an economically active population
500,000
thus abundant labourforce.
400,000
Demographic breakdown by age group is an
300,000 important element of market segmentation and can
178,559 help in guiding investment decisions. Forinstance
200,000
0-9 age group offers opportunities for children
46,414 100,000
related products such as milk, kids’ clothes, toys,
pharmaceuticals, food stuffs (maize, millet, and
soya flour), cosmetics and other consumables
0
10
40

20
60

0-
-1
-5

-3

9
+

9.
9

Economic Profile
GDP Per Capita – Top 10 performing
Districts

Nwoya
Mbale
Mbarara
Mpigi
Buikwe
Jinja
Masaka
Mukono
Kampala
Wakiso

- 500 1,000 1,500 2,000 2,500 3,000 3,500

Source: USAID Report, 2017.

Wakiso District Investment Profile 11

Wakiso is the richest district in Uganda with the highest GDP per capita standing at
$3,250, followed by Kampala at $2,655, Mukono at $1,738, Masaka with $1,360,
Jinja with $1,180, and Buikwe with $1,124 respectively.GDP per capita estimations are
based on UBOS 2014 data.

GDP Ranking For Top 10 Performing Districts

• GDP is heavily concentrated in Central Uganda. Kampala, Wakiso and Mukono
account for nearly half of Uganda’s total GDP(US$20.8 Billion) in 2014.
• Wakiso is roughly 6% of Uganda’s population but it generates 20.8% of its GPD.
• GDP estimates exclude informal sector which is a key source of income in Wakiso.

Mbarara Mbale Nwoya

Buikwe Mpigi
2% 4% 3% 0%
4%
Jinja
5%
Masaka Wakiso
4% 33%
Mukono
9%
Kampala
36%

Source: USAID Report, 2017.

Agriculture
• Wakiso district covers a total land area
of 280,772.3 hectares of which only HHs in Crop/
97,166.3 Hectares (34.61) per cent is HHs in Both Vegatables
Crop & L/Stock 26%
used for agricultural production. 36%
• The district has a total number
of 503,442 households and
187,915(36%) of these are engaged
in both crop and livestock production, HHs in Maize
Produc�on
136,311 households (26%) engaged 14%
in production of crops/vegetables, HHs Piggery/
Poultry
125,447 households (24%) in piggery/ 24%
poultry and 75,481 households (14%)
are producing maize.
Source: UNHHS, 2014

Wakiso District Investment Profile 12

Manufacturing
• Manufacturing in the district is in the following sectors/products: foods & beverages sector
(25%), cosmetics (13%), confectionary, plastics and packaging materials are also dominant
occupying 9% each.
• Wood, furniture and wood products, chemicals, paint and foam products occupy 6% to
mention but a few
WOOD, FURNITURE & WOOD ALCOHOL, WINES & SPIRITS ANIMAL FEEDS, ANIMAL
PRODUCTS 4% HUSBANDRY & POULTRY AUTOMOBILE & ACCESSORIES
6% 3% 3%
RECYCLING
3% CHEMICALS, PAINTS, RUBBER
& FOAM PRODUCTS
PLASTICS
6%
9%

PACKAGING CONFECTIONERY
MATERIALS & LABELS 9%
9% CONSTRUCTION MATERIALS
& SERVICES
METAL, STEEL & ALUMINIUM 3%
PRODUCTS
4% COSMETICS & PERSONAL
CARE PRODUCTS
13%
HOUSEHOLD APPLIANCES
3%
FOODS & BEVERAGES
25%

Source: UMA database

Export Trade
There are a number of firms involved in export trading(including re-exports) in the district.
According to information from Uganda export Promotion(UEPB), In 2017 Wakiso district
based firms earned from exports as follows: Mining & Quarring brought in UGx 1.3 Trilion,
followed by wholesale &Retail trade(UGx.628.4 billion), Manufacturing(UGx 480.1 billion),
Agriculture, forestry & fisheries(UGx 243 billion), Transportation & storage(UGx.10.8
billion), Accomodation & food services(UGx.6.3 billion) Professional, Scientific & Technical
services(UGx.2.2 billion) and Construction (UGx 1.7 billion) respectively.

Wakiso District Export Basket by Sector(%age)

Agriculture, forestry and
Transportation and Accommodation
storage and food service
Professional, scientific
and technical activities Construction
• Mining & Quarrying
fishing
9%
0% activities
0%
0% 0% accounts for 51% of
the district’s export
Manufacturing
17%
earnings,
Mining and quarrying
• Wholesale & retail
51%
trade(23%) is the
second most important
Wholesale and retail
trade
forex earner of the
23% district, followed by
Manufacturing(17%)
and Agricculture(9%) to
mention a few
Source: Uganda Export Promotion Board, 2018

Wakiso District Investment Profile 13


Cooperatives
Percentage of Cooperatives by Type
14.8
8.3
1.2
75.8
Savings and Credit
Mul�purpose
Growers
Source: Primary data Housing
• The district has the biggest number of
registered cooperatives in the country
• Savings and Credit cooperatives are
the majority occupying 75.8%, followed
by multipurpose cooperatives(14.8%),
Growers Cooperatives(8.3%) and Housing
Cooperatives at 1.2% respectively
Informal Business Activities
Cottage industry activities such as brick making,
sand mining and stone quarrying activities have
become very lucrative businesses in the district
because of the increasing urbanization that has
attracted many people to construct houses in
peri-urban areas. Also handicraft making and
other artisan activities are common economic
activities mainly employing women and youths.
Selling foodstuffs such as cassava, sweet potatoes,
greens, matooke in gazette markets and along
roadside markets are also common
Commercial Services
Commercial services such as Financial, mobile
money, telecommunication, ICT, tourism,
Wakiso District Investment Profile
warehousing & storage and distribution services
have recently become core to the district’s
economic profile and thus a major contributor
to GDP. Transport services sector largely
accommodates the informal sector specifically
commuter taxis and boda boda cyclists.
Reasons Why You Should
Invest In Wakiso District
Below are reasons on why you should
invest in Wakiso District:
• The most organized, most recognized and
economically the most vibrant district in
Uganda
• Centrally located, providing easy access to
markets, and connectivity to road, air and
water transport networks as well as energy
and communication systems
• Boasts of the highest GDP per capita in
Uganda and therefore the richest district
ranked ahead of Kampala. This means a high
purchasing power.
• A market bridge linking Uganda’s highest
GDP point’s i.e Kampala (22.5%) and Mukono
(5.3%) respectively. Thus a production zone.
• 70% of business sales of goods and services
happen within a radius of 50-80kms from
Kampala City which is ALL in Wakiso.
• A committed district leadership focused
on facilitating the private investors through
provision of an enabling investment climate
and facilities.
• The district houses a very big population
working in Kampala Capital City. A working
population means high income and therefore
high consumption of goods produced.
• Unexploited opportunities for Agro-
processing and industrial production
• Availability of both skilled and unskilled labour
• Stable political environment
• Uninterrupted Hydro Electricity Power and
vast industrial park of 10,000 acres soon to be
unveiled under Operation Wealth Creation
14
 1
Investment
Opportunities
Agriculture

Horticulture
T he current fruit and vegetable production
in Wakiso district is largely in the hands of
smallholders and is for local consumption and to
some extent export market.
Available statistics show that the district has
136,311 households involved in production of
fruits, vegetables and other crops (2014 UNHHS
data), however information from Uganda Export
Promotion Board (UEPB) reveals only 67 firms
are registered to export horticultural products.
Wakiso District Investment Profile
Market size
The world market for fruits & vegetables stood
at US$191.7 billion in 2017(UN comtrade). Top
importing countries were: USA, Germany, UK,
Netherlands & China.
Uganda’s exports for the same product reached
US $37.4 Millions in the same year and posted a
13.7% decline in values between 2016 and 2017.
Products exported include: fresh chilies/hot
15
pepper, passion fruit, okra, pineapples, bananas, The poor export performance coupled with
legumes, fresh beans, mango, avocado and baby increased imports of fruits into the country is
vegetables etc as a result of: insufficient domestic supply to
meet domestic demand, presence of foreign
On the other hand, the country also imported supermarkets & demand for varieties not yet
fruits worth US$ 6.8 million from South Africa, commercially grown in Uganda. Also Industrial
Egypt, Kenya and UAE respectively in the same use e.g juice processing is another factor thus
period. highlighting opportunities.

This sector presents the following

investment opportunities:
i. Production for exports of horticultural
produce (fruits, and vegetables);
ii. Production of propagation materials;
iii. Establishment of soil-analysis services
iv. Manufacture of greenhouse plastics
v. Production of inputs such as fertilizers,
herbicides and pesticides;
vi. Production of packaging materials;
vii. Provision of cold-storage facilities
viii. Value addition such juice processing
ix. Urban farming capacity building
x. Transporting facilities and Silos

Apiculture
T he world market for natural
honey reached US$2.1 billion
in 2017(UN comtrade) and the
top five importing countries are
USA, German, Japan, France and
UK respectively. Uganda’s exports
of natural honey stood at a mere
US$4 thousand in the same year
exported mainly to Oman and
Rwanda.

Wakiso District Investment Profile 16

The country also imported natural honey worth US$ 101 thousand from UAE,
Egypt, Kenya and Tanzania.
It’s therefore clear that domestic demand and export demand for natural honey is
too huge to match the current production in Wakiso district and Uganda at large.
Investing in bee keeping will go a long way in addressing the above demand gap and
generate foreign exchange earnings.

Wakiso district has good agronomic factors favoring bee keeping especially for the
local people in rural areas. Consumption of natural honey and other bee products is
set to continue growing as a result of growing number of supermarkets in neighboring
Kampala and also health cautious lifestyle of mainly middle class Ugandans.

Other investment opportunities presented in this sector include: supply of honey

processing equipment and machinery, packaging materials etc.

Commercial Fish farming( Aquaculture)

W akiso district currently has a number of farmers practising
aquaculture on a commercial scale. Majority of them
however are Small-holders producing Nile tilapia (ponds and
cages) and/or African catfish (ponds). Yet more production levels
can be reached if lake Victoria waters can be put to good use
simply because 41 sites or 7% of all gazetted fishing land sites on
lake Victoria are found in Wakiso district.

Wakiso District Investment Profile 17

 Market size
It is believed that 80% of the fish caught in lake Victoria is for processing fillets for the export market.
Smoked fish is mainly for local and regional markets.

Uganda’s formal fish & fish products exports reached US$134.7 million in 2017. Informal fish exports
to neighboring countries stood at US$40.4 million in the same year.

The quantity of fish exported has declined and the numbers of fish processing firms are operating
below capacity because of dwindling fish stocks in lake Victoria.

Top fish Markets for Uganda

The following Investment opportunities exists in
Israel
Spain
5%
Rwanda
4%
this sector:
Portugal 5% i. Construction of Fish cages, Ponds and fish
5% Hong
Italy Kong, China
tanks on and around Lake Victoria to boost
6% 36% fish quantities for both export and local
markets..
ii. There is an opportunity in the establishment
United Belgium
Netherlands of fish hatcheries in the district to produce
Arab 12%
Emirates
18% quality fish through Public-Private Partnership
9% arrangements.
iii. Establishment of fish feed manufacturing
factory for quality feeds with standard
formulation

Piggery
Approximately 49,500 households in
Wakiso district keep pigs. However,
majority of these are smallholder with
an average land holding of ¼ acre in the
peri urban areas. The piggery enterprise
is predominantly women owned and if
practiced on a commercial basis, it can
be a massive income generating project
for many families.

Wakiso District Investment Profile 18

18
 Market Size
The monthly demand for pork in Wakiso and Kampala areas is estimated at
approximately 12 metric tons and the current supply is approximately 2.4 metric
tons of pork and the estimated deficit is 9.6 metric tons of pork.

The regional market (East African Community), imports pork from the world worth
US$ 4.3 million in 2017. Kenya, Tanzania and Uganda are the three major importing
countries of pork into East Africa.

Pork imports into the country are to supermarkets and hotels in areas around
Kampala and Wakiso. This trend probably points at insufficient domestic supply.

The following investment opportunities are identified

i. Producing piglets for sale at weaning. Raising sows that will be bred with superior
boars to produce good quality piglets for sale
ii. Construction of modern piggery slaughter houses for processed meat
iii. Production of animal feeds for pigs.

Dairy Products
There are roughly 324 households involved in cattle keeping
both on subsistence and commercial farming in the district
for milk and beef. Whereas dairy processing is done by few
selected companies such as Jesa in Busunju, majority of the
small holder produce milk and supply to the processors.

Wakiso District Investment Profile 19

Export Opportunities:
Demand for Ugandan dairy products exists in neigbouring countries and they
demand the following products:

30000

25000

20000

15000

10000

5000

Milk and Milk and cream, not Bu�er & ghee Birds' eggs, in shell Bu�ermilk, curdled
cream, concentrated concentrated milk and
cream, yogurt,

Source: COMTRADE, 2017

Export Markets for Ugandan Dairy Products

Rwanda
3% UAE
Tanzania 3%
4%
South Sudan
4%

India
5%

DRC
6%

Kenya
75%

Source: COMTRADE, 2017

Wakiso District Investment Profile 20

Dairy sector presents the following Investment Opportunities :
i. Commercial production of milk to supply processing farms
ii. Milk processing for local and export market
iii. Production of cattle feeds
iv. Leather tanning
v. Production of manure out of cattle waste
vi. Provision of professional veterinary services
vii. Production of electricity and manure from waste
viii. Production of artisan products (horn products) out of cow horns
ix. Supply of hay and silage

Poultry
Poultry Meat: In Uganda, poultry meat per capita consumption is 1.4kg per person
per year (Mbabazi, 2014). According to 2014 population census, Wakiso district
and Kampala has approximately a population of 3.5 million people and provide the
potential market for the poultry reared in Wakiso district. The potential demand of
poultry meat is estimated at 4,933,474kg. However, the current chicken population
for broilers and indigenous chicken for meat in the district is 1,540,070 leaving
chicken meat deficit is 3,393,404kg.

Eggs: The total number of eggs required for the population of Wakiso and
Kampala is 1.2 billion eggs. Currently there 84,000 households engaged in poultry
production in the district can produce only 252 million eggs. Such a production
capacity creates a gap of 1 billion eggs.

Investment Opportunities are :

x. Commercial production/farming of broilers and kuroilers
xi. Hatcheries
xii. Poultry feeds
xiii. Supply of chicken meat to supermarkets and export markets
xiv. Supply of eggs to local and regional markets

Wakiso District Investment Profile 21

 2
Commercial
Infrastructure
Industrial parks and Export Processing Zones/
Special Economic Zones

W akiso district has suitable land for

infrastructure opportunities ranging
from development of privately owned industrial
and or commercial parks to various forms of
Public Private Partnerships (PPP) with Export
processing zones. Once such infrastructure is
developed, the developer subleases or sells the
factory space or serviced land on commercial
basis to user.

Currently the district has land gazetted for
industrial parks in Gombe approved by Council
2014/15. There are plans for acquisition of more
suitable land for Industrial parks in Kakiri by the
district
Investment opportunities
i. Development of a trade center for regional
distribution of high quality products focusing
on central region of Uganda and EAC markets.
ii. Development of Industrial parks for light
industries for processing agro based raw
materials from Wakiso and neighboring
districts for value addition before exports.
Construction of a logistics center having
facilities such as: showrooms for display of
factory products, an inland container deport
(ICD), ICT facilities for BPO, simple assembly
and processing of products, Trainining center
for local experts and housing apartments.
iii. Potential investors can also take advantage
of Export processing Zones(EPZ)/Special
Economic Zones(SEZ) programs in
different ways such as developing EPZ/SEZs
infrastructure as well as manufacturing for
exports and other commercial operations.

Wakiso District Investment Profile 22

Storage Facilities & cold chain stores.
With increasing costs of doing business in Kampala, companies are now
looking for cheaper logistic storage space outside the central business
district of Kampala. According to the Real Estate report 2017 released
by Knight Frank, the current monthly occupancy rates range between
US$3.5 -$5 per square metre in Namanve and US$5 - $7 per square
meter at Industrial Area (1st to 8th street). This is quite high and points at
one fundamental fact: demand for storage space overwhelms supply thus
opportunities for investment in storage facilities.

There is also a challenge of cold storage facilities for horticultural and

flower exporters. The only cold store at Entebbe Airport lacks capacity
to accommodate all the fresh produce and is monopolized by big flower
exporting firms.

Investment opportunities:
i. Construction of cold storage facilities around and near Entebbe.
ii. Construction of Bonded warehouses and other logistics premises to
make use of the district’s strategic location.

Market Facilities and work spaces.

The growing number of market vendors in Kampala and the plan to
decongest Kampala city means that traditional markets such as Owino
and USAFI will be soon phased out by KCCA.

There is available suitable land for construction of markets and other

work spaces in strategic points within Wakiso. This can be done through
Public-Private Partnership arrangement.

Construction of modern Abattoirs.

There are two abattoirs in Uganda which slaughter and cut meat for local
market and they are both in Kampala. The meat market is growing faster
than production yet the capacity of the two meat abattoirs in Kampala
do not match demand. This therefore presents investment opportunities
for construction of modern abattoirs with integrated recycling system in
Wakiso. Strategic points like Kyengera, Kajjansi etc would be ideal for this
kind of projects.

Construction of ports / Marine services.

Construction of ports and landing sites to improve water transport from
Entebbe to Jinja, Kampala, Mukono and Ssese Islands, Kisumu, Mwanza,
Musoma and Bukoba is an investment opportunity and can drive intra-EAC
trade. Leisure boats and cruise ships have high potential for investment.

Wakiso District Investment Profile 23

 3

Mining Opportunities
Wakiso district has a variety of mineral resources including kaolin, beryllium,
Bismutotantalite, Amblygonite, clays, sand gravel, and construction materials
such as granites. According to UNDP’s ASM Baseline Report, the district as
at 2017 had 78 stone aggregate sites, 293 clay sites, 150 sand mining sites
among others.

Kaolin
According to the mineral locality report by the
geological department, The district is endowed
with Kaolin mineral deposits found in Namasera,
Migadde and Buwambo areas.

Kaolin also called kaolinite is a platy white clay used

in the pharmaceutical and cosmetic industries. Market size
Kaoline is an important ingredient in making The world demand for kaolin clay is US$1.8 billion
medicine that treats diarrhea, dysentery, cholera, in 2017(UN comtrade). Japan, Belgium, German,
ulcers, sores, and internal swellings. It is also used Finland and China are the world top 5 importing
in the manufacture of cosmetic products such countries for this product.
as cleansers, shampoos, toothpastes, and beauty
products.
Wakiso District Investment Profile 24
Uganda managed to export 685 tonnes of Beryllium
kaoline to Burundi, Rwanda and India earning Beryllium is also found in Gamba hills, Nampeyo,
just US$104 thousand in the same period which Busiro, Wakiso district has huge demand globally.
is an under-utilisation of this potentially massive
The world demand for Beryllium in 2017 reached
resource. US$1.2 billion and a ton of beryllium costs
somewhere between US$27,460 to US$155,836
Considering the size of the world market and the depending on the country of origin. Looking at
availability of these mineral deposits in Wakiso, global demand and unit price for this mineral,
investing in commercial mining of kaolin for investing in commercial mining of Beryllium
exports is commercially viable. would be viable.

Granite Stones Major importing Countries

The district also has huge deposits of quality
granite stones in Masulita which can be used Republic
of Korea
for making hard core granite tiles, fabrication of China
8%

kitchen/table counter tops, Tombstones, stone 9%

aggregate for road construction and reinforcing

buildings. Japan
16%
United States of
America
46%

Given the pace of urbanization, real estate,

infrastructure development etc are expanding Germany
21%
rapidly and these require granite stones creating
big investment opportunities in quarrying in this
Source: UN COMTRAD
area.
Bismutotantalite
There are Bismutotantalite deposits also found
in Gamba hills, Nampeyo, Busiro. However not
much has been done in commercial exploitation
of this mineral thus investment opportunity.
Gobal demand for this mineral reached 8275
tons amounting to US$105.2 million in 2017 and
the world price per ton was US$12,725.

Major Importing Countries

Amblygonite. 5%
5%
Germany
Amblygonite is a fluorophosphates mineral, 5%
32% United States of America
composed of lithium, sodium, aluminium, 10% France
phosphate, fluoride and hydroxide. This mineral Netherlands
is used in the jewelry industry as gemstone. The Hong Kong, China
12%
Uganda Geological Survey, also reports deposits China
of Amblygonite found in Gamba Hill, Nampeyo, Italy
31%
Wakiso district. Investment opportunities
therefore exist in commercial mining of this
mineral. Source: UN COMTRAD

Wakiso District Investment Profile 25

 Waste management
investment
opportunities 4
a) Plastic Scrap
Wakiso and neighboring districts such as Kampala
and Mukono generate over 1500 tons of solid
waste every day. Plastic waste can be managed
to generate income.
Plastic scrap has high demand for industrial re-use
and that explains its market size.
The world market size for plastic scrap stood
at US$6.6 billion in 2017. China, Hong Kong,
USA, Netherlands, German and Belgium are the
world’s top importing countries for plastic scrap.
Uganda exported 5,041 tons of plastic scrap to
China and Kenya fetching US$2.1 million in 2017.
Wakiso District Investment Profile
b) Waste Management
Waste in the district is haphazardly collected,
stored, transported and indiscriminately
disposed. the main type of refuse waste
generated in the district is bio-degradable which
was mainly generated by households. The non-
biodegradable waste is mainly generated by
health centres, construction sites, industries and
other institutions. The district has two dumping
points known to public i.e. Kitezi in Kasangati
Town Council and a dumping point in Entebbe
Municipality. However the private collectors who
pick the waste especially in the densely populated
areas of Wakiso District indiscriminately dump it
wherever they find convenient especially in places
26
like wetlands, bushes and in isolated areas along major roads.

Wakiso district has a draft integrated waste management framework and an

ordinance on waste management since 2016. The district has 10 acres of land in
Kakiri designated for waste management projects. Entebbe municipal has land in
Kawuku, Nansana and Kira have procured land for the same purpose.

Investment opportunities through Public-private partnership exist in

the following:

i. Recycling of Polythene and paper for various end uses e.g supermarkets
ii. Generation of electricity from waste
iii. Provision of garbage and refuse disposal facilities
iv. Generation of manure for agricultural purposes

Wakiso District Investment Profile 27


Real Estate
Opportunities
Wakiso is known by many as a dormitory district
that hosts the highest number of people working
in Kampala and also highest number of real estate
owners. Some of the major players in the housing
sector in the district include: Canan sites, Akright,
Jomayi, East Land Agency, Sema properties, NSSF
and Buganda Land Board among others.
According to the recent Physical Development
Plan of the district, there is observed: significant
shortage of residential accommodation within
the district, significant population lives in rented
residential houses, souring prices of og building/
construction materials, high costs of rent in towns
as a result of increased demand.
Wakiso District Investment Profile
5
The Uganda Bureau of Statistics (UBOS) report
also reveals that Kampala alone has a housing
deficit of 100,000 units.
Investment Opportunities Include:
i. Available land for development of organized
estates for middle income earners
ii. Provision of Housing Finance Services
iii. Low income housing for the high population
iv. Reorganisation of slum areas.
v. Engineering services such as Civil and
architectural services
vi. Sustainable stone and quarrying mining
28

Manufacturing
i) Packaging Materials
The packing industry includes all forms of printed
paper and plastic packaging, woods, foil and
glass packaging. According to information from
Uganda Manufacturers Association, Wakiso has
6 factories manufacturing packaging material.
Given the role of this sub-sector in supporting
other industries (especially pharmaceuticals,
horticultural products, beverages, edible oil,
fish, and dairy products) in marketing and
distribution generally, as well as in international
trade. The developments in the manufacturing
sector, especially the production of consumer
goods, explain the increased demand for plastic
packaging items. Investment opportunities exist
in the production of boxes, corrugated cases
(shuffle), cartons and labels, flexible packages,
rigid plastics, and thin-walled plastics.
Wakiso District Investment Profile
6
ii) Construction & Building Materials
Wakiso has the biggest number of firms engaged
in the manufacture of construction and building
materials in the country. 5 factories in steel Rolling,
6 clay factories are located in the district. Roofing
Limited and Uganda Clays are the two biggest
manufacturers of construction and building in the
country and located in Wakiso.
As the urban society of the district extends, the
demand for construction and building materials
such as cement, sand, bricks, roofing products(
tiles, iron sheets, Nails), paint, concrete products
etc will continue to grow thus investment
opportunities.
29
 7
Value Addition opportunities
The main agricultural production activities in Wakiso and districts neighboring
Wakiso include coffee production, fishing, live stock farming, horticulture, maize
production, vanilla, cocoa, bananas etc . There is a comparative advantage in
processing these products. Investment opportunities therefore exist in: Fruit
processing, Fish processing, Coffee processing (instant coffee production), Cereal
processing for meal, banana & irish potato processing for crisps Ternary, Processing
plants (skin processing plants), Milling and production of animal feeds etc.

8
Investment in Information and Communication
Technology (ICT)
Wakiso District Investment Profile 30
 Wakiso district has land available for the development of an Information Technology
(IT) – Business Process Outsourcing (BPO) Park that will act as a catalyst from raw
material based exports to a knowledge-based local economy.

Other investment Opportunities abound in the following areas: e-business

services; Printing and publishing, media and television, Logistics management, ICT
infrastructure and training, including extension to rural areas, call centers, Provision
of Internet-related hardware and software, Broadband wireless Internet services
among others.

9
Tourism opportunities
Wakiso has on record 488 hotels, Guest Tourism opportunities therefore exist along Lake
Houses, lodges and Inns, Over 11 beaches on Victoria shore line i.e. construction of modern
Lake Victoria,Traditional tourist attractions like Beaches, hotels, lodges, Guest Houses, bars
wild game at UWEC Zoo, Namugongo and and restaurants to accommodate the growing
Buganda Cultural Sites, Ngamba island resort number of tourists. Development of forest and
for chimpanzees, Lutembe and Mabamba bays, wetland eco-system sites for eco-tourism and
Ramzar sites and bird sanctuaries offering world development of cultural sites such as Wamala
class bird watching experiences (shoebill stork). tombs, Mukajanga will require Public- private
These have become key tourist attraction sites investments.
to foreign tourist in the Country. The role of
Wakiso district in the tourism industry in the
country cannot be under estimated. However
the sector has been given limited attention and
yet offers immense opportunities.
Wakiso District Investment Profile 31
 10
Education opportunities
Wakiso district is the hub of education services
in the country since it hosts some of the most
prestigious public and private schools, tertiary and
training institutions (Survey school, Metrology
school, fisheries institutions, Police Training center
at Bwebajja ,Nkumba University, Kisubi Brothers’
University and the only female university campus
in Uganda)
Furthermore, there was a good number of Schools
that offer the international curriculum (Vienna
Collage Namugongo, Galaxy International School,
International School of Uganda, and Taiba Internal
School) and all these services are consumed by
beneficiaries from majority of districts in Uganda
and beyond Uganda’s boundaries.
Wakiso District Investment Profile
In spite of the above background, education is a
one of the fastest developing services sector in
Wakiso . Opportunities still exist in the provision
of facilities and training services in primary and
secondary schools, polytechnics, technical and
tertiary education, and vocational education and
training institutions.
With most of the government adopting the
universal education policy, private universities
will continue to gain greater prominence, as the
government needs private options to absorb
the significantly large numbers of the primary
and secondary students the education systems
produces today. Wakiso district has enough
strategic land available for investments in the
education sector.
32
 11

Investment in Health care

Health care in the district comprises of hospitals, healthcare centers / dispensing
pharmacies at lower levels and Clinics. In 2017, Wakiso had one regional Referral
hospital and that was within the stipulated threshold of one to 2,000,000 people.
There were 100 Health Center III in the entire district which is still not enough given
the influx of migrants from other districts. By national health standards, the district
currently needs 20 Health Centers IVs, will need approximately thirty two (32)
Health Center IV’s by 2030 and Seventy one (71) HC IV’s by 2040 as projected in
the District Physical Development Plan

Investment opportunities therefore exists in the following area: the establishment of

hospitals, clinics, dental facilities and other health units, modern diagnostic and testing
facilities; training of medical personnel in specialized medical care and fabrication of
hospital equipment and furniture.

12

Investment in Finance
Wakiso District Investment Profile 33
 The district is served by 14 Commercial banks which have 35 bank branches and
20 other credit institutions. Apart from Busukuma, Gombe, Masuliita, Mende,
Namayumba and Nabweru Sub- counties which are not served by any bank, the
rest have at least a bank branch. Other efforts to mobilise fund for development
includes SACCOS. The Wakiso District physical Development plan reveals that
there is very low coverage of banking services in the district. This was because
financial institutions are available to only 23.3% of the households and yet the
services were used by 32.6% of the residents. 64.5% of the users would cover a
distance of more than 5 km for the service.

Investment potential exists in establishing commercial banks as well as other financial

services like real-estate financing, lease finance, agricultural finance and advisory
services, money lending and Savings Cooperatives etc. The rapid growth of the
informal sector in Wakiso district offers opportunities in the provision of credit and
related services. Also the high per capita income of the people of Wakiso district
means high savings and disposable income therefore the need for commercial banks
especially in rural Wakiso is a big opportunity.

Key Contacts
Name Position Phone Email
Matia Lwanga Bwanika Chairman LCV +256 704931515 matialwangabwanika@yahoo.
com
Naluyima Betty Ethel Vice Chair person +256 772 567944 Bettyethel23@gmail.com
Luke L . L . Lokuda Chief Administrative +256 772 498824 llokuda1986@gmail.com
Officer
Hajji Masokoyi Waswa Deputy Chief +256 772 647555 masakoyiw@yahoo.com
Administrative Officer
Moses Mabala Principal Commercial +256 788 012660 Mabala_m@yahoo.com
Officer

Wakiso District Local Government

Office of the Chief Administrator
P.O. Box 7218 Kampala Uganda,
Tel: +256 772 489 722
Email: wakiso@yahoo.co.uk / Website: www.wkiso.go.ug

Wakiso District Investment Profile 34

Wakiso District Investment Profile 2018
Wakiso District Local Government
Office of the Chief Administrator
P.O. Box 7218 Kampala Uganda, Tel: +256 772 489 722
Email: wakiso@yahoo.co.uk / Website: www.wkiso.go.ug

Wakiso District Investment Profile 35 Ministry of Local

Government
Operation
Wealth Creation