Finance Minister Henry Musasizi has commended Nile Breweries Limited (NBL) for its contribution to Uganda’s economic growth through tax payments, local manufacturing, agricultural sourcing and job creation.
Minister Musasizi made the remarks on Thursday during an engagement with a delegation from Nile Breweries led by board director Olive Birungi Lumonya.
He reaffirmed the government’s commitment to working with the private sector to strengthen the country’s productive economy and support investment, employment and increased production.
Minister Musasizi said a strong and growing private sector is critical to the success of government development programmes.
He pledged to continue engaging Nile Breweries and other manufacturers to address challenges affecting business growth and create an environment conducive to increased investment and economic activity.
The Nile Breweries delegation included Emmanuel Njuki, the company’s head of corporate affairs and regulatory affairs and executive director.
Nile Breweries is among Uganda’s major manufacturing investors and contributes to the economy through its operations, supply chain and distribution network.
The company also sources agricultural raw materials locally, providing farmers with a market for their produce while supporting rural incomes and the commercialisation of agriculture.
According to the company, its operations support about 600 direct jobs and 1,000 indirect jobs, in addition to other employment opportunities generated across its value chain.
Birungi welcomed the continued collaboration between government and the private sector, saying such partnerships are important in strengthening Uganda’s industrial base, promoting agricultural commercialisation and expanding employment opportunities.
She said collaboration with manufacturers was also key to accelerating economic growth and ensuring that opportunities created by industrial activity benefit different players across the value chain, including farmers, suppliers, manufacturers, distributors and consumers.
The engagement comes as government continues to emphasise private-sector-led production, investment and employment as key drivers of economic growth and domestic revenue mobilisation.
