President Yoweri Kaguta Museveni has officially commissioned the NEC Meat and Beans Processing Factory in Kisozi, Gomba District, hailing the project as another milestone in Uganda’s drive to add value to agricultural products and expand local manufacturing.
The factory processes locally sourced beef and beans into canned food products, with the Uganda People’s Defence Forces (UPDF) and Uganda Police among its key initial markets. The project is a partnership involving the National Enterprise Corporation (NEC), the commercial arm of the UPDF, and private investors. Francis Ragwa serves as the managing director of the company.
Speaking during the commissioning, President Museveni emphasized that Uganda’s future prosperity lies in processing raw materials instead of exporting them in their unprocessed form. He said value addition creates jobs, increases farmers’ incomes and strengthens the country’s industrial base, a message he has consistently promoted through his wealth creation and agro-industrialization agenda.
The President also pointed to Uganda’s expanding livestock sector, saying the country’s growing cattle population provides a strong foundation for meat processing industries capable of serving both domestic and international markets.
The facility is expected to create employment opportunities, provide a dependable market for livestock keepers and bean farmers, and contribute to Uganda’s export ambitions. Among its flagship brands is “Ankole Heritage,” which celebrates indigenous Ugandan cattle breeds while promoting locally processed food products.
The investment aligns with the government’s broader industrialization strategy, which encourages processing of agricultural commodities to increase their value before they reach consumers. Museveni has repeatedly argued that manufacturing and agro-processing are essential to transforming Uganda from a producer of raw materials into a competitive industrial economy.
Located in Kisozi, Gomba District—an area long associated with commercial livestock farming—the new processing plant is expected to strengthen supply chains for farmers while supporting Uganda’s ambitions to become a regional hub for quality processed food products.