By Kirunda Magoola – Public Affairs, Communications and Sustainability Director at CCBU, a company in the Coca-Cola Beverages Africa group.
Namanve, Uganda – The recently read national budget for FY 2025/26 offers renewed optimism for Uganda’s private sector. Beyond the numbers and allocations, the budget reflects a clear commitment to enabling business to thrive.
With a projected GDP growth rate of 7% and deliberate policy moves aimed at monetising the economy, it’s evident that government is creating space for enterprise to lead in unlocking Uganda’s development potential.
Among items that stand out are the support extended to small and medium-sized enterprises through targeted tax relief and expanded access to affordable credit through the Uganda Development Bank. These interventions send a powerful message to the formal business ecosystem: structure, scale, and sustainability are being rewarded.
For consumer-facing companies like Coca-Cola Beverages Uganda (CCBU), where distribution, retail, and vendor networks are heavily reliant on the informal sector, such policies will directly strengthen the backbone of our route-to-market.
The decision to significantly boost funding toward clearing domestic arrears is also an important step. When local suppliers, transporters, and service providers are paid on time, it creates liquidity in the economy, spurs consumption, and keeps essential supply chains – such as those supporting the beverages industry – operating efficiently. As CCBU, a company in the Coca-Cola Beverages Africa group, our ability to meet consumer demand depends on a well-oiled supplier ecosystem, and this support for timely settlement is a welcome move.
The continued focus on agro-industrialisation and value addition is yet another positive. For a business that relies on agricultural inputs and supports a broad value chain, this policy direction aligns with CCBU’s ambition to source locally and create shared value. A thriving agricultural sector not only secures ingredients for the future but also increases household incomes, which, in turn, fuels consumer purchasing power.
The emphasis on digital transformation and infrastructure also bodes well for a sector that is increasingly leveraging data, automation, and technology for smarter delivery. For a company like CCBU, which prides itself on operational excellence and customer-centricity, these national investments in connectivity and logistics are critical enablers of growth.
CCBU is a customer-obsessed, digitally enabled, growth-driven business. We strive for excellence across our value chain and partner with our customers for growth.
We harness opportunities in our markets with bold, focused strategies to unlock sustainable topline growth, and our route-to-market strategies ensure we capitalise on opportunities and drive growth.
Digitalisation enhances efficiency and cost-effectiveness, enabling us to scale smarter, while strategic investments in our supply chain improve productivity, efficiency and quality.
Our consumer-centric portfolio and robust channel strategies ensure relevance, reach and resonance.
The FY 2025/26 budget offers real opportunities for the private sector to step forward. It’s an inspiration for us to innovate, reinvest, and partner with government in building a more inclusive and resilient economy.
