Ugandan trade shows are a great way to promote and grow your business. You can quickly get involved by participating in or attending one locally to get the feel of it. Be it services or a products, trade shows in Uganda cover a wide range.
If you are in the initial stages of your business and have a product that needs exposure, want to increase your sales and expand your market or you want to introduce something new to the market, trade shows can be the way to go. They will extensively introduce and present your company to a wide range of potential clients, encouraging them to use your product or service.
Your business will also from time to time be presented with other low key exhibition opportunities as one offs away from the big trade fairs. Such exhibitions may be specifically targeting your area of service or product – an opportunity for you to showcase your product or service in detail. These can be good to test the reception of your product or service at its inception in the market.
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Leading Ugandan trade shows;
There are two leading and most popular Ugandan trade shows with one comprehensively showcasing an agricultural theme while the other is extensively for all businesses and services.
Organised by the Uganda Manufacturers Association (UMA) in Kampala, UGITF is the most popular of the two and increasingly becoming one of the most sort after in the sub-Saharan region by investors who want to showcase their products/ service to capture the vibrant Ugandan market.
It is a reputable multi-sectoral trade fair that has been running for close to 20 years with a unique opportunity to market products and services.
Participants cut across the entire business sector and come from as far as Asia, Europe and the US. It is an annual event held every October round about Independence Day (9th October) and is one of the heights to mark the independence celebrations.
Go to; UGITF – The Uganda International Trade Fair, Kampala;
The other of the two most popular Ugandan trade shows is The Source of the Nile Agricultural & Trade show. It showcases mainly agricultural products and services but also has all other businesses and services that wish to exhibit along side the farmers. It is organised by the Uganda National Farmers’ Federation (UNFFE) at the Show grounds in Jinja.
Started in 1993, this annual event is held every July. It’s a platform for improved technologies, innovations and production in the agricultural sector – a true incentive for the farmers and other businesses related to agriculture to capture their targeted market.
Go to; The Source of the Nile Agricultural & Trade show, Jinja
And just to give you an idea, those two Ugandan trade shows should introduce you to the national and international opportunities that Ugandan business offers…
There are other trade shows;
The vibrancy of the Real Estate industry in Uganda makes the International Exhibition and Trade Show for Building and Construction Industries in East Africa a must attend particularly if your business or service is in this sector.
It is a biannual event held in one of the East African Countries. And Uganda being part of the East African Community, the likelihood is that one of the editions is held there. Uganda is host to the 2012 Edition.
It showcases the latest modern technology in building and construction with participants coming from all over the world.
Go to; The Builders’ Expo – The International Exhibition and Trade show for building and construction industries in East Africa.
There is yet another opportunity to introduce your business or service to the wider Ugandan market.
WRTF – The Western Region Trade Fair is a biannual regional event held in the western region of Uganda. We could say; it is a version of the UGITF whose showcase is also multi-sectoral providing a platform for foods and beverages, packaging, printing and stationary, industrial and manufacturing, construction, fashion and clothing, tourism and a lot more….
It is also organised by Uganda Manufacturers Association (UMA) and participation cuts across all sectors including; overseas investors and manufacturers, promoters of both the indigenous and foreign technologies and the wider business community.
Go to; WRTF – The Western Region Trade Fair.
You will quickly realise that the trade fairs in Uganda give you such an opening, no matter if you have been in your industry for decades or just at beginners. You will meet others in your field and most of all, market your innovative ideas and find new customers.
Look out for other smaller exhibitions year round – these could particularly target your field of product or service and this is where you are most likely to meet the other players in the same field – your competitors, to compare notes and see what else is out on the market.
Ugandan trade shows are ideal for business promos, and have for long been used by corporation and small enterprises alike. Take advantage of every way to increase your profits.