Uganda’s Ecommerce Marketplace Roars to Life with the Launch of Made in Uganda

In a powerful stride toward economic transformation, Uganda has launched the Made in Uganda (MIU) project, a bold, national initiative redefining the way Ugandans produce, buy, and sell local products.

From finely crafted goods to cutting-edge technology, MIU is designed to showcase and scale the richness of Ugandan innovation, ingenuity, and industry.

This groundbreaking platform seeks to promote, aggregate, and distribute Ugandan-made products through a unified commerce ecosystem.

It seamlessly integrates an online marketplace, physical retail outlets, and fulfillment infrastructure to create direct access for local producers, artisans, and vendors to reach both domestic and international markets.

MIU is more than just a marketplace; it is a mission-driven movement anchored in economic empowerment, value addition, local manufacturing, and strategic branding.

By fusing technology and logistics, it provides a Launchpad for Ugandan entrepreneurs to connect with buyers in ways never before possible.

The MIU initiative emerges as Uganda doubles down on self-reliance and economic sovereignty.

During the 2nd National ICT Summit held in Kampala earlier this year, the Minister for Science, Technology and Innovation, Dr. Monica Musenero, issued a passionate call for Ugandans to support homegrown products  not only for patriotism but for long-term survival and progress.

“It may not be as efficient as WhatsApp or the current TikTok or even Apple phones, but even these developers also started like that, and you were willing to tolerate its inefficiencies. Why don’t you tolerate ours too and give us an opportunity to grow?” Dr. Monica Musenero

Her words struck a chord: Support local. Tolerate the process. Be part of the growth.

Dr. Musenero went on to caution against the overdependence on foreign technologies, warning that Uganda risks long-term poverty if it continues to consume without creating:

“A country can be digitally connected but still economically disconnected if it doesn’t produce, capture, and retain digital value.”

She also pointed to what she termed Uganda’s “eclipse problem” — a national habit of waiting for the most polished, most convenient, and most foreign product, while ignoring the promise of local beginnings.

MIU is here to break that cycle as it provides a level playing field for both emerging and established entrepreneurs.

Whether you are a fashion designer in Mbale, a herbal soap maker in Fort Portal, or a software developer in Kampala, MIU is your marketplace, your megaphone, your engine of growth.

Backed by modern systems in commerce, logistics, and marketing, the platform ensures products reach the right customer, on time, and with the dignity of a trusted brand.

Through this ecosystem, Uganda can finally build a local supply chain that is resilient, scalable, and globally competitive.

MIU aims to empower Ugandan producers and entrepreneurs by making it easy to sell, scale, and connect with customers both locally and globally through a seamless, trusted, and inclusive commerce ecosystem.

With their  transformative vision to become Uganda’s most impactful commerce platform, MIU is looking at championing local innovation, enabling sustainable livelihoods, and delivering unmatched value to both buyers and sellers.

The Made in Uganda project is not just about business, it is about national identity, pride, and prosperity. It invites every Ugandan to rethink what they buy, how they consume, and why it matters.

Uganda’s biggest marketplace is here. It’s digital. It’s physical. It’s powerful. And it’s proudly Ugandan.

According to Moses Byaruhanga Venture Lead for made in Uganda, said that “Made in Uganda is a unified ecosystem that brings together an online marketplace, physical retail outlets, and a robust fulfillment network — all designed to connect and support local producers.
The project champions economic empowerment, value addition, local manufacturing, and improved market access through technology, logistics, and strategic branding.”