Uganda’s growing manufacturing sector has attracted the attention of more than 150 investors from 10 countries who visited local manufacturers RZ Innovations Limited and Royikems Industries Limited as part of Equity Group’s 2026 Uganda Trade and Investment Roadshow.
The visit gave the investors an opportunity to see Uganda’s manufacturing capacity and explore opportunities to invest in local production, regional distribution and commercial partnerships.
The investors visited the companies after the trade and investment roadshow was launched at the Marriott Hotel in Kampala on 14 September.
Irene Irungu, Senior Manager of Trade Relations at Equity Group, said the roadshow was organised in response to growing demand from businesses looking to expand into other African markets.
“The journey started because of overwhelming demand from our customers who wanted to explore different parts of Africa,” Irungu said.
She said the initiative was designed to connect Ugandan producers directly with buyers in markets where Equity Group operates, allowing businesses to find customers and trading partners more easily.
RZ Innovations started as a motorcycle spare-parts trading business in 2005 before its parent company, Royikems Industries, moved into manufacturing in 2013. RZ Innovations was established in 2021 and initially focused on producing motorcycle brake shoes.
The company has since expanded into motorcycle inner tubes and tyres and now employs about 650 people.
Its current monthly production capacity stands at about 900,000 brake shoes, 600,000 inner tubes and 150,000 motorcycle tyres.
The products are sold in Uganda and exported to Kenya, Tanzania, South Sudan, Rwanda, Burundi, Malawi and the Democratic Republic of Congo.
The wider Royikems group has also diversified into other manufacturing activities, including consumer packaging through Five Star Plastics and polyurethane mattresses under the Goose Foam brand.
Mark Ssempijja, General Manager of RZ Innovations, said the company is increasingly focusing on local production and recycling as it seeks to improve efficiency and reduce waste.
The company collects scrap aluminium, melts it and uses the material to produce components for its brake shoes. It also uses recycled rubber in some of its products and is planning to establish a dedicated rubber recycling plant.
However, the company told the investors that unreliable electricity remains one of the biggest challenges facing its operations.
Management said it is investing in an additional power connection while also exploring commercial solar energy as an alternative source of power.
Other challenges include fluctuations in foreign exchange rates, transport infrastructure and the rising cost of imported raw materials and logistics.
Dr Ishaka Buya, a Kenyan investor and member of the trade mission, said manufacturers could use renewable energy to reduce the impact of power interruptions and high electricity costs.
“Integrating commercial solar is a game-changer for high-demand manufacturers like RZ Innovations to stabilise factory operations and reduce overhead costs,” Buya said.
He said combining solar power with the national electricity grid and backup systems could help factories maintain production when there are power interruptions.
The discussions also focused on the role of financing and partnerships in helping Ugandan manufacturers increase production and reach more markets.
RZ Innovations already has a distribution network in Kenya and supplies its products to several countries in East Africa and beyond. The company said it is looking for additional partnerships to support investment in manufacturing, renewable energy and distribution.
Equity Group said the trade mission is intended to connect businesses and investors across the markets where it operates, giving companies opportunities to access capital, technology, suppliers and new customers.
For Ugandan manufacturers, the engagement highlights the opportunity created by regional trade as businesses seek to sell locally produced goods beyond Uganda.
The visit also allowed investors to see the scale of Uganda’s manufacturing sector while learning about the challenges companies face as they expand.
For RZ Innovations, increasing production capacity, improving energy security, expanding recycling and strengthening regional distribution are expected to remain key areas of focus as the company grows.
