The Democratic Republic of Congo (DRC) has overtaken all other African destinations to become Uganda’s largest export market on the continent, underscoring a major shift in regional trade patterns.
According to recent Bank of Uganda (BoU) data, Uganda exported goods worth $625 million (about UGX 2.38 trillion) to the DRC in the 12 months ending November 2025, surpassing traditional markets such as Kenya, South Sudan and Rwanda.
The figures show that Kenya, which for years held the position of Uganda’s leading African export destination, ranked second with exports valued at $592.9 million (approximately UGX 2.25 trillion).
South Sudan followed with $492 million (about UGX 1.87 trillion), while Rwanda absorbed Ugandan goods worth $328.4 million (around UGX 1.25 trillion). The data highlights the growing importance of western regional markets and the increasing role of the DRC in driving Uganda’s export growth.
Economists say the DRC’s emergence as Uganda’s top African market reflects strong and sustained demand for basic consumer goods and food products, driven by its large population and limited domestic manufacturing capacity.
Uganda’s exports to the DRC are largely composed of manufactured consumer goods and agricultural produce. Key exports include sugar, iron sheets, beverages, and foodstuffs such as maize, beans and fish.
These products benefit from Uganda’s geographical proximity to eastern DRC, established cross-border trade routes and relatively lower transport costs compared to overseas markets.
The strong performance in the DRC market came alongside a sharp improvement in Uganda’s overall export earnings.
Total exports rose by 33 percent to $12.7 billion (about UGX 48.3 trillion) in the year under review, up from $8.5 billion (roughly UGX 32.3 trillion) the previous year.
Bank of Uganda officials attributed this growth largely to increased earnings from gold and coffee, which remain the country’s top foreign exchange earners.
Gold exports continued to dominate Uganda’s export basket, supported by favorable international prices and sustained regional trade flows.
Coffee exports also registered notable growth, benefiting from improved prices on the global market and steady demand despite ongoing challenges related to climate variability and production costs.
Together, gold and coffee accounted for a significant share of Uganda’s export receipts, helping to offset weaknesses in other sectors.
Commenting on the broader economic outlook, Bank of Uganda Director for Research Adam Mugume attributed this performance to a combination of stable exchange rates, prudent monetary policy and sustained export growth.
Mugume noted that steady foreign exchange inflows from exports have helped maintain macroeconomic stability and supported domestic economic activity.
Beyond Africa, United Arab Emirates continues to play a central role, absorbing nearly 70 percent of Uganda’s coffee exports but trade analysts say the strong showing in regional markets, particularly the DRC, highlights the potential of intra-African trade to drive growth and reduce reliance on distant overseas destinations.
