AGP Executive Report

UN Diplomacy: Uganda’s UN Secretary-General hopeful Olara Otunnu finally heads to New York for Security Council and General Assembly meetings after months behind rivals. Oil & Environment: New research warns Uganda’s oil build-out around Lake Victoria wetlands could be degrading shared ecosystems, raising cross-border livelihood risks. Public Health: WHO says the DRC Ebola outbreak is outrunning the response, with deaths nearing 2,000 as contact tracing thins; meanwhile Merck’s vaccine and Gilead’s drug are set for wider use in eastern DRC. AgriFood Budget: Stakeholders demand higher and better-implemented 2027 AgriFood funding, warning delays hurt seasonal planting and production. Healthcare Infrastructure: Smart Africa and the Ministry of Health launch five modern diagnostic centres in Busoga to boost NCD detection. Transport & Trade: Uganda’s oil and gas methane regulation debate heats up as first oil nears, alongside calls for stronger market and sanitation controls. Road & Rail Accountability: An engineer denies receiving Shs 3.7bn in URC consultancy allegations as Parliament probes URC management. Tourism Pressure: Uganda tourism players urge government to suspend Emirates flights over UAE travel restrictions affecting Ugandans. Industrial Safety: Rwanda’s alcohol crackdown expands, with factory owners facing harsh jail terms over unsafe drinks.

EACOP Skills for Women: EACOP’s technical training is opening welding and other oil-industry trades to women across Uganda and Tanzania, pushing equal access to certifications and National Content jobs. Power Storage for Resilience: Malawi commissioned its first grid-scale lithium battery system after storm damage to hydropower caused long blackouts, showing how battery backup can stabilize solar-heavy grids. Climate-Smart Irrigation Push: Kenya, with Israeli support, is spotlighting irrigation and practical climate-smart farming methods like drip systems to tackle water stress. Uganda Oil Meets Methane Debate: As Uganda nears first oil, policymakers are debating whether to create petroleum-specific methane rules or use a broader short-lived climate pollutant framework. Ebola Treatment Scale-Up: Africa CDC says eastern DRC will expand use of Merck’s Ervebo vaccine and Gilead’s antiviral to curb the Bundibugyo outbreak. Tourism Pressure Over UAE Rules: Uganda tourism players want government to suspend Emirates flights to Entebbe in retaliation for continued UAE travel restrictions on Ugandans. Engineering Regulation Call: Uganda’s engineers’ body urges stricter enforcement of engineering laws to stop unqualified people from taking on major works. Rwanda Alcohol Crackdown: Rwanda warns alcohol factory owners could face up to 25 years in jail after closures over unsafe drinks. Local Market Sanitation: Lew-dier Fish Market in Bor faces enforcement after sanitation concerns and waste accumulation. Finance & Savings Drive: Old Mutual Uganda launches a unit trust campaign to boost disciplined, professionally managed investing.

EACOP Progress & First Oil Watch: Uganda’s Tilenga is reported at 74% completion (234 wells drilled) as the 1,443-km East African Crude Oil Pipeline hits 91% completion, keeping first oil targeted for later in 2026—while a fresh debate grows over whether Uganda should regulate methane with petroleum-specific rules or a broader short-lived climate pollutant framework. Oil & Gas Capacity Building (Tanzania): Tanzania’s TPDC says it is advancing independent exploration in Geita and expects to announce positive oil findings soon, alongside inspections tied to EACOP’s construction milestones. Methane Regulation Debate: As Uganda nears production, policymakers and experts weigh a draft methane abatement roadmap and national action plan for short-lived climate pollutants. Local Industry & Compliance: Engineers under UIPE are pushing for stricter enforcement of Uganda’s engineering laws, warning weak regulation lets unqualified people handle engineering work. Sanitation & Markets: Bor County commissioner warns of action over poor sanitation at Lew-dier Fish Market after social media photos showed waste accumulation, urging better facilities. Food & Drink Safety (Rwanda): Rwanda’s alcohol crackdown has shut factories and could see owners face up to 25 years in jail over unsafe, substandard drinks. Health Sector Procurement & Trials (Ebola): WHO recommends testing the licensed Ervebo Ebola vaccine against the Bundibugyo strain via a Phase 3 ring vaccination trial as the outbreak surges. Finance for Households: Old Mutual Investment Group Uganda launches a unit trust campaign to boost disciplined saving and professionally managed investing. Agri & Livestock Value Chain: Housing Finance Bank supports MAAIF’s livestock vaccination drive with accessible payment options, reporting progress across northern districts. Energy Access & Markets (Regional): Coverage highlights the scale of electricity gaps across Africa and the need for practical market infrastructure to support rural industrialisation.

Oil & Gas Regulation: As Uganda nears first oil, civil society and officials debate whether to regulate methane with petroleum-specific rules or a broader national framework for short-lived climate pollutants. EACOP Progress: The East African Crude Oil Pipeline is reported at 91% completion, edging Uganda closer to first oil by year-end. Roads & Accountability: The Auditor General flags major implementation failures, delayed works, safety defects and costly penalties under the World Bank-funded North Eastern Road Corridor Asset Management Project (NERAMP). Engineering Standards: Uganda’s engineers’ body calls for stricter enforcement of the Engineers Registration Act, saying weak regulation lets unqualified people do engineering work. Ebola Vaccines & Trials: WHO recommends testing the licensed Ervebo vaccine against the Bundibugyo Ebola strain, paving the way for a Phase 3 ring-vaccination trial. Health Systems: In Karamoja, community-led monitoring is pushing residents to help spot gaps in medicines, staffing and care quality. Agribusiness Finance: Housing Finance Bank supports MAAIF’s livestock vaccination drive with easier payment options for farmers. Tourism & Sports: The Serengeti Safari Marathon is positioning Lake Victoria Basin active tourism as a regional, cross-border growth engine. Digital Jobs: Huawei urges Makerere graduates to build practical tech skills and keep learning beyond degrees.

Clean Freight Push: UNEP and the Northern Corridor Transit and Transport Coordination Authority secured new funding to roll out the Northern Corridor Green Freight Strategy 2030, including emissions tracking, port electrification studies at Mombasa, and more women in freight jobs. Oil & Industry Pipeline: Aliko Dangote says construction of the Lamu oil refinery will begin by October 2026, with capacity pegged at 700,000 barrels per day and a revised cost. Roads Accountability: Uganda’s Auditor General flags major failures on the World Bank-funded North Eastern Road Corridor Asset Management Project (NERAMP), citing delays, safety defects, unspent funds and penalties. Digital Economy & Data Centres: Raxio names Dennis Kahindi as Uganda GM as demand rises for secure local hosting and carrier-neutral colocation. Ebola Response Scale-Up: WHO and Africa CDC urge urgent expansion of Ebola containment in DR Congo, with Uganda’s outbreak declared over while cases surge in Congo. Agri Value Addition: FAO launches a four-month incubation for over 90 wood-sector SMEs to boost competitiveness, value addition and market access. Payments for Trade: Stanbic Bank Uganda launches China’s CIPS to enable direct renminbi settlement and cut FX friction for bilateral trade. Public Service Modernisation: Posta Uganda unveils a five-year strategic plan to reposition as a one-stop postal and logistics provider in a digital economy.

MTN Digital Push: MTN Uganda launched MTNTV in Kampala, bundling 60+ live TV channels, 53 radio stations, movies, sports and African originals into one streaming experience—another step for Uganda’s digital lifestyle and creative economy. Data Centres & Hosting: Raxio named Dennis Kahindi as Uganda GM as demand rises for secure local data hosting for banks, government and healthcare. Forestry Value Addition: FAO started a four-month incubation for 90+ wood SMEs to boost competitiveness, finance readiness and market access across the wood value chain. Agriculture Payments for Vaccines: Housing Finance Bank backed MAAIF’s livestock vaccination drive with VacciPay, easing farmer registration and payments during the campaign. Trade Finance Upgrade: Stanbic Bank Uganda launched China’s CIPS to let firms settle cross-border payments directly in renminbi, cutting FX friction and speeding transactions. Postal & Logistics Reform: Posta Uganda unveiled a five-year rescue plan with a client charter and service standards, including one-stop government service centres. Energy Hub Talks: Tanzania and Uganda signed an MoU with Vitol Bahrain to develop a regional energy hub at Port of Tanga, targeting investments above $20bn. Transport Accountability: MPs questioned spending Shs122bn to collect Shs129bn toll revenue on the Kampala–Entebbe expressway after discrepancies in vehicle records. Ebola Response: Congo’s Ebola crisis worsened past 4,000 cases; Africa CDC and partners plan wider use of Merck’s vaccine and Gilead’s antiviral in eastern DRC. Tourism Connectivity: Uganda Airlines announced direct routes to Kigali and Accra from October, expected to lift arrivals and trade. Insurance via Mobile: Britam and Airtel Money launched “Insurance Ku Ssimu” to sell motor third-party cover through USSD, aiming to deepen insurance penetration. Public Sector Data: Uganda flagged plans to host the East African Statistics Bureau as it commissions a new Statistics House Entebbe office block. Media Safety: Two Next Media Services staff died in an Entebbe Road crash; a third journalist survived and is in ICU.

Regional Brewing & Deal-Making: East African Breweries (EABL) posted record Sh18.2bn net profit for FY ended June 2026, with revenues crossing Sh1bn and debt strategy helping cut liabilities, while also signalling “life after Diageo” as it awaits Kenya competition approval for Japan’s Asahi takeover. Energy & Industrialisation: Uganda and Tanzania launched a new phase of energy cooperation in Dar es Salaam, signing an MoU to develop the Tanga Regional Energy Hub with UNOC, TPDC and Vitol Bahrain—aimed at petroleum storage, logistics, trading and distribution, and expected to complement Uganda’s Hoima refinery plans. Export Push for Manufacturers: PACEID announced the third International Buyers Week (9–15 Nov 2026), targeting up to US$300m in export deals and rolling out regional aggregation centres to help producers meet international order standards. Health Security: Africa CDC and WHO urged community-led action to contain the worsening DRC Ebola outbreak, including stronger early detection and contact tracing, after a high-level mission assessed response gaps across Uganda and the DRC. Finance Leadership: ACCA Uganda opened nominations for the 10th Uganda CFO Awards (closing 18 Sept), spotlighting finance leaders driving growth and governance across sectors. Compliance in Beverages: Rwanda suspended imports of 14 Tanzanian alcohol brands over safety and quality concerns, ordering retailers to remove affected stock.

East African Energy Deal: Uganda and Tanzania signed an agreement with Vitol Bahrain to develop the Tanga Regional Energy Hub, positioning Tanga port as a key gateway for Uganda’s crude exports and boosting storage, refining, logistics and fuel trading across the region. EACOP Watch: Bank of Uganda and judiciary leaders visited EACOP’s Pump Station One in Hoima to assess progress ahead of first oil, linking pipeline delivery to Uganda’s budget and export earnings. Ebola Response: DRC’s Ebola outbreak is now past 4,000 cases and officials fear the virus may be mutating, prompting a push to scale up response “door to door.” Tourism Marketing: Uganda Tourism Board will enlist the Ghetto Kids as ambassadors ahead of 2027 AFCON, aiming to turn global visibility into visitor demand. Alcohol Crackdown (Rwanda): Rwanda destroyed 470,000 litres of illicit ethanol and temporarily suspended imports of multiple alcoholic brands, including products linked to Uganda and Tanzania. Retail & Consumer Industry: Nile Breweries trained 230 retailers in Masaka under its GRIT programme, while EABL reported a 49% profit jump on revenue growth and warned about illicit alcohol. Finance: NCBA shareholders are set for a higher interim dividend after half-year profit rose 12%. Food Security: WFP is ramping up preparedness as El Niño threatens to worsen hunger into 2027. Transport Decarbonisation: Northern Corridor states secured Ksh 26m to support a shift toward electric-vehicle-ready freight by 2030.

Oil & Gas Oversight: Bank of Uganda Governor Michael Atingi-Ego and the judiciary visited EACOP Pump Station One in Hoima to assess progress ahead of first oil, stressing that pipeline delivery underpins Uganda’s 2026/27 budget projections and export earnings. Standards & Industry Support: Trade Minister Sanjay Tanna directed UNBS to crack down on substandard goods while speeding up certification access for SMEs, citing a rise in UNBS enterprises certified from 501 to 1,270 and increased standards development. Trade Diplomacy: Uganda renewed its push for stronger Saudi partnership, pitching agro-processing, tourism, mining, science/tech and digital infrastructure, with a demand-driven production model aimed at matching market needs. Energy & Power Reliability: Reports highlight loadshedding and delayed electricity connections hitting Kampala residents and businesses, with MPs putting UEDCL under pressure over persistent blackouts and slow hookups. Food Security Shock: WFP warns El Niño could worsen hunger, with estimates pointing to tens of millions more facing acute food insecurity across eastern and southern Africa, including Uganda, as rains and harvest cycles are disrupted. Public Health & Ebola: WHO says DRC’s Ebola outbreak has surpassed 1,700 deaths as the crisis accelerates, with trials and vaccine work continuing amid conflict-affected access gaps. Cyber & Media: Uganda’s Next Media says hackers temporarily compromised NBS Television, Next Radio and AfroMobile social accounts, urging the public to ignore suspicious posts. Digital Infrastructure: A report on Africa’s data centres shows Morocco, South Africa, Kenya and Nigeria leading on certified capacity—an issue for Uganda’s own industrial digitisation push.

Food Security Watch: The UN World Food Programme warns El Niño could worsen hunger across East and Southern Africa, with projections of 49 million more people facing acute food insecurity by end-2027, as rain-fed farming and already-stressed communities take the hardest hit. Ebola Response & Trials: In eastern DR Congo, Ebola deaths have surpassed 1,700 as the outbreak accelerates; meanwhile, WHO-backed trials for Bundibugyo Ebola treatments and vaccines are moving forward, with experts stressing the lack of approved countermeasures for this strain. Power & Industry: Kampala businesses and households are still feeling losses from ongoing power outages, with government saying rehabilitation work on the grid is under way and stability is expected after August 8. Energy for Industrial Growth: Uganda’s energy leadership is pushing private investment and reliable power as the backbone for agro-processing, manufacturing, mineral value addition and digital infrastructure. Agribusiness Finance & Insurance: Women smallholder farmers are set to benefit from a blockchain-powered insurance pilot aimed at faster payouts after climate and health shocks. ICT Skills Pipeline: Huawei Uganda launches a Makerere recruitment drive to plug local talent into the tech workforce. Aviation & Trade Links: Uganda Airlines plans daily Entebbe–Kigali flights from November 18, boosting competition on a key regional corridor. Oil-to-Industry Push: Uganda’s energy minister says the real win from oil is building factories, technologies and local businesses—not just producing crude. Food Safety for Exports: FAO trains lab experts across East Africa to strengthen pesticide and aflatoxin testing, supporting compliance and trade under AfCFTA. Mining Formalization: Regional efforts to formalize artisanal and small-scale mining are set to feature at African Mining Week, aiming to improve traceability and attract responsible investment.

Business Climate: Uganda’s business confidence rebounded in Q2 2026, with the Uganda Business Climate Index rising to 124.9, but fuel price hikes and global uncertainty are still squeezing operating costs and imports. Trade & Policy: SEATINI marked 30 years of shaping Africa’s trade voice, pushing for homegrown research and policy leadership as the continent moves from reacting to global rules to shaping them. Ebola Response: Uganda’s Ebola preparedness drew praise from WHO and Africa CDC during a Kampala mission, with calls for stronger surveillance and cross-border engagement as DRC’s Bundibugyo outbreak accelerates. Ebola Crisis (DRC): Eastern Congo reported 3,802 cases and 1,707 deaths, with about 80% of new cases linked to community spread amid insecurity and delayed contact tracing. Energy & Infrastructure (East Africa): Uganda secured veto power and board seats over Kenya Pipeline Company after taking a 20.15% stake, giving Kampala leverage over key pipeline decisions. State-Owned Assets Probe: MPs on COSASE inspected UPHL properties in Kenya over rent arrears, doubtful debts and idle government land, escalating scrutiny of the state-owned property manager. Agribusiness Trade: Egypt moved to expand poultry exports to Uganda, aiming to open the Ugandan market for chicken meat and eggs. Climate Risk: Uganda issued an early warning for the 2026/2027 El Niño season, flagging floods, landslides, disease outbreaks and livelihood disruption. Micro-enterprise Finance: EIB Global and Centenary Bank say about 24,000 micro-enterprises have benefited, with women and rural projects dominating funding. Digital Security: INTERPOL reports AI now drives over 55% of cybercrime in Africa, with losses rising to $484m.

Energy & Infrastructure Oversight: Parliament’s COSASE MPs have crossed into Kenya to inspect Uganda Property Holdings Limited (UPHL) after Auditor General findings flagged Shs4.8bn in rent arrears, including Shs4.048bn owed by Unifreight Cargo Handling, plus idle prime government land and underused assets. Power & Rural Electrification Accountability: Uganda’s Energy Ministry faced sharp PAC questioning over inconsistent accounting of Shs17.3bn in UREAP counterpart funding, including gaps between approved compensation for PAPs and actual payments. Regional Energy Control: Uganda secured veto power and two board seats over Kenya Pipeline Company after acquiring a 20.15% stake, giving Kampala leverage on CEO hiring/firing and key tariff and dividend decisions. Agribusiness & Jobs: Government says it will “revolutionise” the agri-sector through STAS to cut food insecurity from 25% to 12%. Climate Risk: The Ministry of Water and Environment issued an El Niño early warning for 2026/2027, flagging above-normal rains, floods, landslides, disease outbreaks and livelihood disruption. Public Health Shock: Eastern DR Congo’s Bundibugyo Ebola outbreak has surged past 1,700 deaths (3,802 cases), with most new infections driven by community spread and contact tracing delays. Industrial Safety: A head-on crash on the Masaka–Kampala highway killed 14 people after a sand truck swerved during road works. SME Finance: EIB, via Centenary Bank, says it has supported over 24,000 micro-enterprises, with women and rural projects leading.

Electricity Accountability: MPs grilled UEDCL over stalled grid connections and persistent power blackouts after the Umeme buyout, citing a backlog of over 400,000 customers who paid connection fees but are still waiting, with UEDCL blaming inherited infrastructure and meter procurement delays. Petroleum Governance: Governor Michael Atingi-Ego urged strong institutions as Uganda prepares for the petroleum era, stressing integrity, transparency, environmental protection and fair benefit-sharing to attract responsible investment. Clean Air Investment Gap: Africa’s clean-air push got a spotlight at the Africa Clean Air Forum, with experts warning the continent receives under 1% of global clean-air investment and urging faster implementation in transport, fuels and city planning. Ebola Response Strain in DRC: Uganda’s Ebola situation remains in a “no new cases” phase, while DRC’s outbreak keeps accelerating, with community resistance and funding cuts weakening surveillance and logistics. Agribusiness Jobs Push: A new focus on agribusiness as the fastest route to jobs and value chains is gaining traction across the region, with attention on reducing food imports and boosting intra-African trade. Industrial Oversight: State Minister David Bahati inspected Najjera Industrial Hub, praising manufacturers adding value and employing over 200 people, and promising targeted support for local value chains. Cashew Skills Drive: Kenya and partners trained cashew value-chain actors across multiple countries to improve production, processing and value addition, aiming to boost rural livelihoods. Tax Formalisation Trust Gap: Kampala traders say formalising businesses is being slowed by fear of immediate tax pursuit, warning Uganda’s enforcement-led approach is undermining SME uptake into the formal economy.

Oil & Gas Watch: Reports say EACOP is about 90% complete, with Uganda’s Tilenga and CNOOC-linked fields expected to start flowing around September—an employment and supplier boost for local firms. Industrial Policy & Manufacturing: State Minister for Industry David Bahati inspected Najjera Industrial Hub, praising value addition and job creation by manufacturers in plastics, packaging, soaps and animal feeds, and urging stronger support for cocoa and coffee value chains. Agribusiness & Jobs: A new push for agribusiness-led employment highlights Africa’s food market growth and the need to cut import dependence through higher yields and regional value chains. EUDR & Market Access: Analysis argues the EU Deforestation Regulation could reshape Africa’s agricultural competitiveness, forcing exporters of coffee, cocoa and palm oil to prove deforestation-free, legally produced supply. Tax & Formalisation: Kampala City Traders Association warns formalising businesses is being slowed by distrust—traders fear immediate tax pursuit despite claims that registration can unlock VAT and tax credits. Ebola & Travel Rules: As DR Congo’s Ebola outbreak accelerates, the US has tightened entry rules for people coming from DRC, Uganda and South Sudan, with Uganda’s own screening at points of entry strengthened. Mining Fraud Case: A Kampala court remanded a citizen accused over an alleged $1.5m gold shipment scam to Dubai and unlicensed mineral dealing, with investigations ongoing.

Ebola Crisis: WHO says DR Congo’s Ebola outbreak is intensifying at an “exceptional pace,” now at 3,605 confirmed cases and 1,587 deaths across five provinces, with sustained transmission and rising fatalities; Uganda’s earlier experience is highlighted as preparedness-driven, with far fewer cases. Trade & Logistics: Kenya and South Sudan renewed push for a direct Lokichokio–Nadapal–Juba road corridor to cut transit times and reduce delays at Mombasa port. Industrialisation & Value Addition: Uganda’s cashew push gets a boost as 81 cashew actors from 11 countries complete training in Mombasa to improve production, processing, quality and market access. Oil & Infrastructure Risks: IGG investigates alleged corruption around the Busega–Mpigi Expressway after suspending junior engineers, as costs reportedly ballooned from Sh547bn to a trillion-shilling compensation headache. Digital Commerce: Glovo launches an AI shopping assistant in Kampala, letting customers order via natural conversation through ChatGPT/Claude—an upgrade for quick-commerce and local retail discovery. Creative Economy: iKONVERSATIONS brings film marketers and distributors together to fix Uganda’s film marketing and distribution gaps, especially for streaming reach.

Trade Facilitation: Xiamen in China says it cut customs clearance time by 30% by digitising port operations and simplifying cross-border procedures—an approach Kenya is watching as it pushes Port of Mombasa, SGR and digital customs to strengthen cargo flows to Uganda, Rwanda, South Sudan and eastern DR Congo. Mining & Illicit Trade: A study cited by Marsad Al Dahab estimates 435 tons of African gold left official channels in 2022, with artisanal undeclared output running into hundreds of tons yearly—highlighting lost tax and export earnings and the knock-on effect of sanctions on gold routes. Regional Transport: South Sudan and Kenya renewed plans for a direct Lokichokio–Nadapal–Juba corridor, aiming to cut delays at Mombasa port and reduce transit costs by rerouting goods away from the longer Mombasa–Nairobi–Kampala route. Public Health: WHO warns DR Congo’s Ebola outbreak is spreading at an “exceptional pace,” reaching 49 health zones across five provinces with 3,605 confirmed cases and 1,587 deaths, while Uganda reports it has contained its earlier wave through preparedness. Finance & Enterprise: Pearl Bank (formerly PostBank Uganda) says its rebrand is shifting it toward digital inclusion and enterprise support, while NICO Holdings appoints Dr. Kwanele Ngwenya as Deputy Group Managing Director. Agri-Industry & Climate: Agroecology is gaining traction in West Africa as farmers and policymakers push nature-based practices to rebuild soils and manage climate shocks. Oil & Infrastructure Risk: Uganda’s Busega–Mpigi Expressway faces fresh scrutiny as IGG investigates alleged corruption tied to a compensation spiral that grew from an initial Sh547bn estimate. Creative Economy: iKON Film and Television Awards plans a December 12 edition focused on marketing and distribution gaps, aiming to connect Ugandan filmmakers to wider African markets.