Event report
Chamber CEO Breakfast Meeting | June 19, 2025
Post-budget insights, ESG focus, and private sector dialogue—FCCU joins AmCham Uganda & NUTIP for CEO Breakfast Meeting.
On June 19, the French Chamber of Commerce Uganda (FCCU) joined forces with the Netherlands Uganda Trade and Investment Platform (NUTIP), the British chamber of Commerce Uganda (BCCU), and the American Chamber of Commerce Uganda at a CEO Breakfast Meeting under the theme “Positioning for Growth: Budget Implications for International Trade and Investment in Uganda.”
This high‑level gathering convened C‑suite leaders from across sectors to unpack the key provisions of Uganda’s FY 2025/26 budget and to chart a path toward sustainable private‑sector growth.
The session opened with a celebration of cross‑chamber collaboration: FCCU, AmCham and NUTIP have collectively demonstrated the impact of aligned objectives—fostering open dialogue, expanding market access, and supporting a more connected and resilient business community.
During a fireside chat,
Representatives from the Uganda Revenue Authority outlined Uganda’s shift to a fully digital, proactive compliance model in 2025, emphasising:
Mandatory EFRIS adoption for all sales transactions.
Timely tax‑return filing and rigorous record‑keeping.
Proactive engagement with URA to clarify obligations.
Early compliance to avoid penalties.
This move promises greater transparency and efficiency, and startups founded after July 1, 2025, may benefit from a three‑year income‑tax exemption, pending definition of “investment capital.”
Grant Thornton (Uganda) then laid out the tax‑amendment proposals poised to reshape Uganda’s business environment. Key measures include:
Start‑up Exemption: Three‑year tax holiday for entities established post‑July 1, 2025, with investment caps of UGX 500 million.
Rollover Relief: Simplified restructuring of business assets without immediate capital‑gains tax.
Digital‑Services Withholding: 15% withholding tax on digital services provided by non‑residents to local associates.
VAT & Excise Adjustments: Refinement of exemptions (e.g., solar lanterns, biomass pellets) alongside revised excise rates on plastics, beverages, and packaging.
Stamp‑Duty Relief: Abolition of duties on key agreements and mortgage instruments.
Tax Procedure Code Reforms: Use of NINs/BRNs as TINs, waiver of penalties for timely principal payments, and tighter EFRIS‑related penalties.
Atacama Consulting illuminated the intersection of environmental and social considerations with public‑sector budgeting:
Climate Finance Mobilisation: Leveraging environmental safeguard tools to integrate “ENR” (environment, natural resources) in national planning.
Cross‑Sectoral Climate Budgeting: Embedding resilience and adaptation measures across agriculture, mining, tourism, and infrastructure.
Private‑Sector Role: Mobilising green finance for sustainable projects, from circular‑economy initiatives to biodiversity assessments.
This CEO Breakfast underscored the power of united dialogue between the public and private sectors in shaping Uganda’s economic future. FCCU extends its gratitude to AmCham, NUTIP Kampala, and our event sponsors—Grant Thornton (Uganda), Atacama Consulting, Bank of Africa – Uganda, and Standard Chartered—for their invaluable contributions.
Stay tuned for detailed follow‑up materials and future FCCU events as we continue to champion responsible investment and sustainable growth in Uganda.
