Uganda Breweries Limited (UBL) has concluded the first stage of its Fiscal Year 2027 enterprise development plan by certifying 94 retail trade operators in Kampala. According to Nile Post, the three-day Learning for Life programme targeted shop owners, bartenders, and service staff in the hospitality and retail sectors. The initiative, run with Enterprise Uganda, aimed to tackle operational issues like poor debt handling, limited product knowledge, and weak financial controls that jeopardize the longevity of small retail businesses.
Participants engaged in hands-on lessons covering business planning, financial oversight, and client interaction, with a strong focus on cash-flow tracking and credit management. Nile Post noted that the Diageo Bar Academy handled the customer service component, providing participants with professional hospitality techniques. The event ended with a ceremony where successful attendees received certificates, and top performers were honored for their efforts.
Dr Joshua Mutambi, a senior official at Uganda’s Ministry of Trade, Industry and Cooperatives, spoke as the guest of honor. He praised the joint effort between UBL and Enterprise Uganda, highlighting that improved management practices and workforce skills are vital for long-term business survival. Mutambi argued that small and medium enterprises are central to Uganda’s service economy, and that private sector alliances are key to giving operators the practical abilities needed to withstand commercial pressures.
Pamela Bayenda, UBL’s sustainability lead, explained that the program addresses ongoing management hurdles while broadening economic access, especially for female workers. She pointed out that in Fiscal Year 2026, UBL’s training efforts benefited 233 people, with women making up over half of those enrolled. In this specific Kampala group, women represented 77.7 percent of the total, or 73 out of the 94 graduates. Bayenda stated that retailers often face heavy debts and skill gaps, which the Learning for Life program is designed to fix directly.
This Kampala graduation signals the start of UBL’s wider Fiscal Year 2027 strategy. The firm intends to launch the next stage, which will target 100 more retail operators in areas outside the capital. This move aims to spread business development training and professional skills to a broader audience nationwide, helping to create jobs along Uganda’s hospitality supply chain.