Envoy urges Nigeria to invest in Uganda

Uganda’s High Commissioner to Nigeria, Nelson Ocheger, has urged Nigerian investors to take advantage of the Uganda Airlines direct flight to their country to invest in Uganda.

Ambassador Ocheger said there are vast opportunities for trade, investment, and industrialisation that the Nigerian business community can tap into when they invest in Uganda.

“You can invest in the fields of agro-processing, social services, mineral exploration and exploitation (including oil and gas), ICT, and infrastructure development, to name a few. Over the last three decades, the country has registered tremendous achievements and socio-economic transformation,” he said during the Nigeria-Uganda Trade and Business forum in Lagos, Nigeria, last Friday.

He added: “Covid-19 interruption notwithstanding, Uganda is now one of the fastest growing countries on the African continent. The country is peaceful, secure, stable, and noticeable growth is seen in the fields of social services, infrastructure, power supply, ICT development, agro-processing, market expansion, and industrialisation, etc.”

The ambassador’s comments came a day after Uganda Airlines made its maiden direct flight from Entebbe to Lagos.

“The economy is fully liberalised and vibrant. The monetary and fiscal policies are sound, and the fundamentals of the economy are robust. This has resulted in exponential growth of FDI (Foreign Direct Investment) into the country. There is no hindrance to repatriation of profits in foreign currency. Inflation, as of September 2023 is 2.9 percent - the lowest in Eastern Africa. The cost of doing business is relatively low,” he said.

The envoy said the tourism industry is fast recovering from the interruption of Covid-19, and encouraged the Nigerians to come for a visit to the national parks.

“I wish, therefore, to invite the entrepreneurs and business persons in Nigeria, and indeed in the entire West Africa, to take advantage of the conducive business and investment climate and incentives available to trade with, invest in and indeed, tour Uganda,” he said

Ms Jennifer Bamuturaki, the chief executive officer of the national carrier, said: “Direct flights between Uganda and Nigeria are important not only for business and tourism but are also culturally significant. From oil and gas, agriculture, investments, textiles and now music, Uganda Airlines will offer the air bridge to immense possibilities.”

She added: “Nigerians are known for their go-getter spirit that knows no barrier and finds no obstacle insurmountable. On the other end, on the shores of Africa’s largest freshwater body, Lake Victoria, are a people that are famed for their overflowing hospitality and warmness. We are happy to facilitate this infusion of experiences and cannot wait to see what enhanced encounters between two of Africa’s richest cultures will yield.”

The State minister for Trade, Mr Fred Byamukama, who led the Ugandan delegation, said the introduction of direct flights between Entebbe and Nigeria will facilitate intra-Africa trade which he said is still very low at 14 percent.

“As they say, numbers don’t lie, African trade statistics paint a picture that shows us where we need to be going. According to the United Nations Conference on Trade and Development (UNCTAD), intra-Africa trade accounts for just 14.4 percent of total African exports. According to UNCTAD implementation of the African Free Continental Trade Area (AfCTA), would boost this by about 33 percent and reduce the continent’s trade deficit by half,” he said.

He added: “On the other hand, it is estimated that AfCTA would nearly double intra-Africa air cargo from the present 2.3 million tonnes to 4.6 million tonnes. Part of the reason for the low levels of intra-Africa trade is the absence of transport infrastructure. With poor roads and almost non-existent road connections, air travel in Africa is not a luxury but a necessity. Yet even with that reality, intra-African air travel accounts for only 23 percent of all air passenger journeys in the continent.

“¬That is because few countries have more than a dozen direct air connections with other African countries. The divide is even more pronounced between regions, with a huge void between East and West Africa. Under my Ministry of Works and Transport, we shall support the Airline to expand its network into Nigeria and start its service to points like Abuja.” 

Some of the Nigerian business people, who attended the function, asked the Ugandan authorities not to complicate the visa application process in their bid to come to Uganda for tourism and trade.

On Thursday last week, Uganda Airlines commenced the direct flights to Lagos, Nigeria. The maiden UR900 flight by Airbus A330-800 Neo, took three and a half hours to touch down at Murtala Muhammad International Airport in Lagos, cutting the journey that was previously taking more than 10 hours via different countries.

The Entebbe-Lagos direct route is the national carrier’s 13th destination as it continues to expand its network to various countries in the region, Africa and to other continents.

The launch of the direct route to Lagos comes barely two weeks after the launch of another direct flight from Entebbe to Mumbai, India.

The Entebbe-Lagos flight will be thrice every week; Monday, Thursday and Sunday.

How Ugandan diplomats opened Nigeria’s skies

The inaugural direct flight by Uganda Airlines from Entebbe to Lagos which took place on October 19 follows initial concerted efforts of the Ministry of Foreign Affairs of both Uganda and the Federal Republic of Nigeria as well as the respective ministries of Works and Aviation to initiate and coordinate efforts to review and guide the implementation the Bilateral Air Services Agreement (BASA) between the two countries.

The Bilateral Air Service Agreement provides for reciprocal international commercial air transport services between the two countries.

These efforts are in line with the Ministry of Foreign Affairs policy of pursuing Commercial and Economic Diplomacy with the primary objective of further strengthening Bilateral Trade and investment to accelerate economic growth and development through direct air connectivity between the two countries.

Intiatial preparatory/regular periodic meetings were coordinated and led by the Uganda High Commission in the Federal Republic of Nigeria under the leadership of H.E. Nelson Ocheger and his counterpart H.E. Ismail A. Alatise, the Nigerian  High  Commissioner to  Uganda.

Amb Ocheger, underscores the importance of Air transportation which remains the major veritable means of connecting the people of Africa and enhancing trade.

He stated that Air transportation will do well in Africa with its population of more than 1.37 billion. Uganda has joined other African Nations to leverage the opportunity of Single Africa Air Transport Market (SAATM) to attain the 2065 Africa Agenda.

According to available statistics, trade between Uganda and Nigeria stood at $4.8 million (Shs17.9 billion), (mainly export of agricultural products, machinery and chemical products).

Ongoing efforts to promote technical cooperation and collaboration between the Nigerian College of Aviation Technology (NCAT), Zaria, and the East African Civil Aviation Academy (EACAA), located in Soroti, Uganda as well as Uganda Civil Aviation Authority and the Nigeria Civil Aviation Authority (NCAA).

Source: Ministry of Foreign Affairs

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