Overview:
Export receipts rose from USD 812.69 million in July 2024 to USD 1,248.12 million in July 2025, marking one of the strongest year-on-year gains in recent years.
Uganda’s export sector recorded a dramatic upswing in July 2025, with merchandise exports growing by 53.6 percent compared to the same month last year, according to the Ministry of Finance’s Performance of the Economy Report for August 2025.
Export receipts rose from USD 812.69 million in July 2024 to USD 1,248.12 million in July 2025, marking one of the strongest year-on-year gains in recent years.
The growth was largely attributed to robust performance in coffee, gold, sugar, base metals and related products, crude oil, and agricultural produce such as fruits and vegetables. Officials said this reflects both rising global demand and Uganda’s improved production and export capacity.
At the same time, Uganda’s import bill also expanded sharply. Merchandise imports increased by 47.3 percent, climbing from USD 1,049.08 million in July 2024 to USD 1,544.94 million in July 2025.
According to the ministry, the surge in imports was mainly driven by higher formal private sector demand, covering both oil and non-oil categories, alongside a marginal rise in project-related government imports.
Analysts note that while the export boom is a positive sign for Uganda’s trade competitiveness, the simultaneous surge in imports underscores the country’s continued reliance on foreign goods, particularly capital equipment and inputs needed for ongoing infrastructure and oil-related projects.
The Ministry of Finance said it expects the export momentum to continue in the coming months, especially with crude oil shipments gradually entering international markets, and as government investments in agro-processing begin to yield results.