As Uganda prepares for the 2026/27 budget rollout, government is tightening coordination across ministries to align spending with the ATMS framework: Agriculture, Tourism, Minerals, Manufacturing, Science, Technology, and Innovation.
The shift marks a deliberate move away from fragmented planning toward an integrated development model designed to accelerate the Ten-Fold Growth Strategy.
Government says the goal is to connect investments across sectors to boost productivity, expand exports, and deepen industrialisation.
Agriculture as a driver
At the Ministry of Agriculture, officials say agriculture remains the backbone of Uganda’s industrialisation drive.
Assistant Commissioner for Budget and Finance, Collins Amenya, says focus is on boosting production while strengthening value chains for agro-processing and exports.
Key interventions include scaling up fertiliser use, expanding climate-smart agriculture, improving extension services, and investing in solar-powered irrigation systems.
Government is also strengthening agricultural laboratories, including the National Agricultural Laboratories, to improve certification and compliance with international standards.
‘We are strengthening production systems through modern inputs and institutional reforms to improve quality and expand export opportunities,’ Amenya says.
Other priority areas include expanding palm oil production under the Kalangala model, supporting agro-processing facilities, and boosting fisheries and dairy production, which currently stands at about 5.4 million litres and remains a key export driver.
Tourism
The Ministry of Tourism is betting on destination marketing and infrastructure development to grow earnings in the 2026/27 financial year.
Permanent Secretary Doreen Katusime says increasing arrivals, improving visitor experiences, and extending tourist stay duration are top priorities.
A major boost is expected from preparations for the Africa Cup of Nations (Afcon), with government assessing hotels, transport systems, and hospitality capacity.
Beyond Afcon, government is upgrading major tourism sites and conservation efforts targeting wildlife protection, anti-poaching, and human-wildlife conflict reduction, continue alongside heritage site development.
Minerals and energy
The Ministry of Energy is positioning Uganda’s natural resources as a key driver of industrial expansion.
Assistant Commissioner for Finance and Planning, Felix Joel Okurut, says mineral mapping and quantification will be critical in attracting investors and guiding sustainable extraction.
Plans are underway to formalise mineral markets, improve regulation, and expand commercial production in oil and gas, particularly linked to the East African Crude Oil Pipeline.
Energy investments will focus on expanding electricity supply to industrial parks in Nakasongola, Kapeeka, and Kaweweta, alongside major transmission projects such as Masaka-Mbarara and Karuma-Tororo lines.
The Government is also targeting growth in the steel, cement, and graphite industries to support industrialisation.
Science and innovation
Under the Office of the President, the Science, Technology and Innovation Secretariat is advancing research-driven industrialisation. Industrial Value Chains Superintendent Cosmas Mwikirize says the focus is on transforming Uganda from a consumer to a producer of technology.
The emerging automotive industry, which has already begun producing buses locally, is set for expansion, including the development of a locally manufactured SUV platform.
Other priorities include pharmaceutical research, especially herbal-based treatments for diseases such as malaria and diabetes, alongside investments in artificial intelligence, electronics manufacturing, advanced computing, and satellite technology.
Human capital
The Ministry of Education says skills development is central to delivering the ATMS agenda.
Commissioner for Education Planning Michael Aliyo says AFCON-related investments have already triggered over Shs900b in sports infrastructure.
Nine new training grounds are also being developed in universities and secondary schools, while reforms in Technical and Vocational Education and Training are giving employers a stronger role in shaping curricula.
Over the next three years, government plans to construct 116 new schools and rehabilitate 106 secondary schools.
Transport infrastructure
The Ministry of Works remains central to the ATMS implementation strategy. Key priorities include advancing the Standard Gauge Railway project, completing land acquisition, and financing arrangements ahead of construction.
Road development continues under the District, Urban and Community Access Roads programme, alongside major infrastructure projects such as the Kampala-Jinja Expressway, Kampala Flyover, and strategic oil roads.
Uganda Airlines is also set for further capitalisation to improve regional and international connectivity, while tourism roads leading to national parks are being upgraded to support economic activity.