Museveni backs $200 million Nonda Coffee Park Project in Nakaseke
The facility is expected to generate more than USD 800 million in annual revenues, significantly increasing Uganda's foreign exchange earnings.
Entebbe: President Yoweri Kaguta Museveni has pledged government support for the establishment of the Nonda Coffee Park in Nakaseke District, a major agro-industrial investment expected to boost Uganda’s coffee value addition, create jobs, and expand export markets.
The commitment was made during a meeting at State House, Entebbe, with a delegation from Nonda Coffee Park led by Chief Executive Officer Tonny Miiro Kibuuka. The delegation updated the President on the project’s progress and sought additional government support ahead of its groundbreaking ceremony scheduled for October.
The coffee park will be built on a 100-acre site in Butalangu Town Council, Nakaseke District, and is projected to become the largest single coffee processing facility in East and Central Africa. Once operational, it will process 42,000 metric tons of coffee annually, sourcing coffee from Uganda’s central region and other coffee-growing areas.
According to Miiro, the project is part of the Great Uganda-Saudi Coffee Corridor under the Value-at-Source Coffee Project, a private-sector-led initiative aimed at increasing local processing and ensuring Uganda retains more value from its coffee exports.
“The President has committed his support to this project, particularly in mobilizing coffee farming households to prepare for the increased demand for coffee that will be required by the factory,” Miiro said.
He noted that the initiative seeks to shift Uganda away from exporting raw coffee beans by promoting domestic processing, enabling the country to earn higher revenues from its leading export commodity.
The coffee park represents an estimated USD 200 million investment. About USD 160 million will be invested in constructing the processing facility and related infrastructure, while the Government of Uganda is expected to contribute USD 44 million. The remaining funding will come from private investors from the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia.
Ready export market
Miiro said the project already has a guaranteed export market in Saudi Arabia through an existing commercial arrangement.
“This project is already mapped to the off-take market in the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia. There is a ready market waiting for the coffee because we are the first Ugandan company to own coffee shops in the Middle East,” he said.
He added that the company currently operates two Ugandan-branded coffee shops in Saudi Arabia, strengthening market access for processed Ugandan coffee.
The facility is expected to generate more than USD 800 million in annual revenues, significantly increasing Uganda’s foreign exchange earnings.
Construction preparations are already underway, with completion expected within 24 months. The official groundbreaking ceremony is planned for October this year.
“Our purpose in meeting the President was to thank him for the support he has committed to this project and also to inform him about the proposed groundbreaking ceremony later this year,” Miiro added.
The meeting was attended by Attorney General Sam Mayanja, Minister of Finance Henry Musasizi, Minister of Science, Technology and Innovation Eng. Jonard Asiimwe, Coordinator of the Islamic Development Funds Hajji Habib Migadde, and other stakeholders involved in implementing the project.
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