Optimism is high as Uganda Airlines nears its scheduled first flight to Lagos in Nigeria on October 19 2023. The maiden Nigerian flight for the national carrier is one of the many other maiden flights. Uganda Airlines is doing all it can to expand its presence not only in East Africa and Africa but to Asia, Europe and the Americas.

The new route to Lagos, stakeholders believe, will strengthen partnerships, foster knowledge transfer and promote tourism, trade and investment between Uganda and Nigeria as drivers of inclusive and sustainable development.

“We are here today to promote trade between Nigeria and Uganda, to promote robust collaboration between business communities. We are committed to reducing barriers to trade and investment.”- H.E. Ismael A. Alatis, the Nigerian High Commissioner to Uganda, said.

He was speaking on Wednesday at a Webinar organized by Uganda Airlines in partnership with the United Nations Development Programme (UNDP) Uganda to discuss the topic titled Harnessing Trade, Tourism, And Investment Opportunities Between Uganda And Nigeria. 

Elsie Attafuah, the Resident Representative of UNDP Uganda noted that trade offers a unique opportunity to generate employment, unlock market opportunities, capital and financing necessary to expand economic growth and accelerate the achievement of the 2030 Agenda for Sustainable Development.

General Edward Katumba Wamala, the Minister of Works and Transport, revealed that Uganda Airlines plans to expand to another point in Nigeria, Abuja, and also Accra in Ghana. “My Ministry, under its programme, the Integrated Transport Infrastructure and Service, will support its initiatives to expand to more points in West Africa,” the minister said during the Webinar.

“Additionally, Entebbe Airport is being expanded, and it is now at 70%; we will have a new terminal that will provide a better experience for the passengers transiting through Entebbe

need for supportive infrastructure to enable trade between Uganda, Nigeria and beyond to ensure the people of Uganda benefit from the African Continental Free Trade Area (AfCFTA).” he added.

The AfCFTA is the world’s largest free trade area bringing together the 55 countries of the African Union (AU) and eight (8) Regional Economic Communities (RECs) to create a single market for the continent.

President Yoweri Museveni’s Son in Law and Special Advisor for Special Duties, Odrek Rwabogo, said Africans should be able to speak and sell to each other as Africans.

He added: “We need to create an ecosystem to enable businesses to trade and to scale. Uganda should not send its goods to Dubai for Nigerians to then buy them from Dubai. Ugandan products should go to Nigeria directly and vice versa.”