The West Nile diaspora community has been urged to invest in transformative development projects that will unlock the region’s vast economic potential and accelerate socio-economic growth.
The call was made by the Director General of the Uganda Investment Authority (UIA), Robert Mukiza, during the opening of the 3rd West Nile Annual Convention 2026 in the United Kingdom. The three-day convention, running from Thursday, July 16, to Saturday, July 18, is being held under the theme, “Unlocking Investment Opportunities in West Nile.” Day one was dedicated to investment scoping and exploring opportunities for economic transformation in the region.
The event has brought together participants, including members of the West Nile community from Uganda and the diaspora, representatives of the Ugandan and United Kingdom governments, investors, business leaders, development partners, local government officials, entrepreneurs, academics, and members of the global Ugandan diaspora.
Mukiza said the government is advancing plans to industrialise the country by establishing industrial parks across all regions. He said the West Nile region is strategically positioned to benefit from the vast export markets in neighbouring Democratic Republic of Congo (DRC) and South Sudan, provided investors focus on value addition to locally produced goods.
The Chairperson of the organising committee, Dr Lazarus Anguvaa, described West Nile as one of East Africa’s last untapped investment frontiers, citing opportunities in agriculture, manufacturing, logistics, tourism, healthcare, ICT and renewable energy.
He said the convention aims to create a platform that will unlock these opportunities and attract sustainable investment into the region. However, he noted that widespread household poverty remains a major obstacle to development and called for deliberate government interventions to support inclusive economic growth.
According to the organisers, the convention is expected to strengthen strategic partnerships between government and the diaspora, promote UK-Uganda investment collaboration, showcase business opportunities for local and international investors, and expand professional and commercial networks.
Theresa Egita Eraico, a member of the West Nile diaspora, said the gathering will highlight investment opportunities in agriculture and agro-processing, tourism and hospitality, manufacturing, transport and logistics, ICT and innovation, real estate, and sports infrastructure.
She said the convention is also expected to deepen understanding of West Nile’s economic potential, facilitate new business partnerships, generate policy recommendations to improve trade and investment, and mobilise support for the proposed West Nile Museum and Cultural Information Centre.
Launched in 2024, the International West Nile Diaspora Convention (IWNDC) is an annual global platform that brings together the West Nile community and its partners to promote sustainable development through investment, knowledge exchange, dialogue and stronger collaboration between West Nilers living abroad and those at home-URN. Give us feedback on this story through our email: kamwokyatimes@gmail.com
