Henry Musasizi Commends Progress at Ntungamo Coffee Park

The Minister of State for Finance, Planning and Economic Development, Henry Musasizi, has appreciated the progress of the Inspire Africa Coffee Park in Ntungamo during a visit he made alongside Amos Kankunda, the Chairman of the Finance, Planning and Economic Development Committee of Parliament, on Saturday to assess the effectiveness of the project.

The visit also marked Musasizi’s first official tour of the Africa Coffee Park, reaffirming the Government's commitment to agro-industrialisation and value addition in Uganda's coffee sector.

The Minister was accompanied by Amos Kankunda, Member of Parliament for Rwampara County and Chairperson of the Parliamentary Committee on Finance.

The delegation was received by Nelson Tugume, CEO of Inspire Africa Group, who led a guided tour of the Park, showcasing advanced processing technologies including roasting, spray drying, and freeze drying, which are central to producing high-value coffee products.

The Africa Coffee Park is set to produce a diverse portfolio of products, including roasted coffee, ground coffee, drip coffee, instant coffee, as well as value-added derivatives such as cosmetics and ready-to-drink cold brew beverages.

In his remarks, Minister Musasizi noted that this initiative aligns with the Government’s development strategy of growing the economy tenfold under agro-industrialisation, where value addition is prioritised. He emphasised that such projects heavily contribute to job creation, increased exports, and strengthening Uganda’s position in global coffee markets.

"Indeed, there is value for money. The government's decision to invest in this coffee park was a wise idea," he said, adding that up to 11% of Uganda's coffee output could eventually be processed through the facility. He also highlighted the strategic integration of coffee tourism and domestic consumption as a model for patriotism in coffee and expanding market opportunities.

Tugume expressed appreciation to the government for financial support, while also noting key infrastructure needs for full operationalisation.

“We are grateful to the Government of Uganda for its continued support. However, the Park requires a minimum of 20MW of electricity and two million litres of food-grade water daily to operate at full capacity. Addressing these infrastructure gaps is critical to unlocking instant coffee production," he said.

Tugume further noted that over five kilometres of piping have already been installed as part of efforts to establish a water pipeline from Kahengye, near the Rukungiri border, alongside a dedicated power line from the Mirama Hills substation.

Kankunda reaffirmed Parliament's commitment to supporting value addition through the Government's Agro-industrialisation, Tourism, Manufacturing, and Science, Technology and Innovation (ATMS) strategy. He encouraged legislators to undertake field visits to Government-supported projects to make informed decisions based on facts.

Minister Musasizi commended Inspire Africa Group for its vision and execution of a transformative industrial project, noting its alignment with Uganda's broader economic ambitions.

“I am here on behalf of the Minister of Finance, Planning and Economic Development, and I wish to affirm that HE. the President has strong belief in this project," he said.

Musasizi further pledged Government support towards the designation of the Africa Coffee Park as a Special Economic Zone, which would attract further investment into the region. He emphasized the importance of strengthening infrastructure, including electricity, water, and road networks, to support industrial growth. He also revealed ongoing efforts by the Ministry of Finance, Planning and Economic Development in collaboration with the Ministry of Science, Technology and Innovation to streamline governance of the project, ensuring innovations developed at the Park are effectively commercialised for both domestic and international markets.

The Africa Coffee Park is a 150-acre state-of-the-art industrial hub set to become the largest coffee processing and value-addition centre in Eastern Africa. It employs freeze-dry technology to produce refined instant coffee, coffee beauty products, and coffee energy drinks.

"This project has been subjected to scientific, technical, and commercial verification, and it is evident that it will succeed. It therefore deserves additional financial support," Musasizi said, underscoring the project’s potential to transform Uganda's coffee value chain, improve farmer incomes, and enhance competitiveness in global markets.