Uganda Country Commercial Guide
Learn about the market conditions, opportunities, regulations, and business conditions in uganda, prepared by at U.S. Embassies worldwide by Commerce Department, State Department and other U.S. agencies’ professionals
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eCommerce
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Though loosely regulated and informal, eCommerce continues to rapidly grow in Uganda due to the widespread use of “mobile money” (telephone-based financial transfers) and the rapid growth of mobile phone usage. While there are 23.5 million bank accounts in Uganda, there are 27.5 million active mobile money accounts. 

In May 2021, Uganda’s central bank, the Bank of Uganda, took over regulation of all payment systems, including FinTech and mobile money transactions. The Bank of Uganda has broad oversight authority, including the power to block eCommerce and mobile money transactions when it deems necessary. The bank generally cautions against transactions using cryptocurrencies, warning that some of these could be scams.  

B2B/B2C sellers typically market their goods and services online, with consumers and sellers connecting first by phone and then by physical meeting. Payments are typically made in cash or by mobile money transfers. Although shopping directly from a website is a relatively new phenomenon in Uganda, it is fast growing. One key advantage for eCommerce in Uganda is the expanding middle class with a growing taste for U.S. consumer items (regarded as being of superior quality than those from China and other countries). Young people (18 to 30) constitute the bulk of online sellers and buyers. 

Advertising in Uganda’s eCommerce market remains largely unsophisticated and is mainly limited to social media platforms. WhatsApp, Instagram, TikTok, and X (formerly Twitter) are the most used online platforms in Uganda. A government ban on Facebook remains in place since the January 2021 elections. As a result, internet service providers operating in Uganda block access to Facebook, but the platform still receives heavy traffic from Ugandans with access to virtual private networks (VPNs).

Ugandan law provides for the protection of intellectual property rights, but enforcement mechanisms are weak. The country particularly lacks the capacity to prevent piracy and counterfeit distribution. As a result, theft and infringement of intellectual property rights is common and widespread. Uganda does not track seizures of counterfeit goods or prosecutions of intellectual property rights violations.  

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Global Business Navigator Chatbot Beta

Welcome to the Global Business Navigator, an artificial intelligence (AI) Chatbot from the International Trade Administration (ITA). This tool, currently in beta version testing, is designed to provide general information on the exporting process and the resources available to assist new and experienced U.S. exporters. The Chatbot, developed using Microsoft’s Azure AI services, is trained on ITA’s export-related content and aims to quickly get users the information they need. The Chatbot is intended to make the benefits of exporting more accessible by understanding non-expert language, idiomatic expressions, and foreign languages.

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As a beta product, the Chatbot is currently being tested and its responses may occasionally produce inaccurate or incomplete information. The Chatbot is trained to decline out of scope or inappropriate requests. The Chatbot’s knowledge is limited to the public information on the Export Solutions web pages of Trade.gov, which covers a wide range of topics on exporting. While it cannot provide responses specific to a company’s product or a specific foreign market, its reference pages will guide you to other relevant government resources and market research. Always double-check the Chatbot’s responses using the provided references or by visiting the Export Solutions web pages on Trade.gov. Do not use its responses as legal or professional advice. Inaccurate advice from the Chatbot would not be a defense to violating any export rules or regulations.

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