The National Social Security Fund (NSSF) has disclosed an extensive UGX 827 billion procurement expenditure plan for the 2024/25 fiscal period, positioning itself as a key catalyst in Uganda’s economic transformation. This strategic allocation is designed to stimulate substantial investments across infrastructure, services, and technological innovation, reinforcing the fund’s commitment to fostering local enterprise and advancing national progress.
During the 9th NSSF Suppliers Forum, Managing Director Patrick Ayota underscored the imperative for every expenditure unit to yield measurable value—not merely in terms of financial prudence and service excellence but also in its broader socioeconomic ramifications. He elaborated that the procurement allocation has been meticulously structured across multiple sectors to ensure optimal influence and efficacy.
A dominant proportion of UGX 653.9 billion has been earmarked for construction and infrastructure ventures, aligning with Uganda’s broader Vision 2040 framework that prioritizes economic expansion through infrastructural augmentation. An additional UGX 118 billion has been dedicated to the procurement of goods, while UGX 39.1 billion is designated for non-consultancy services, and UGX 16.1 billion is allocated to consultancy-related engagements. Ayota remarked that by allocating 79% of the procurement outlay to infrastructure, NSSF is fostering a monumental development initiative poised to generate substantial employment opportunities, invigorate indigenous businesses, and enhance the nation’s urban and rural topography.
Beyond fiscal deployment, NSSF’s procurement paradigm is driven by an ambition for transformational excellence. The fund is embedding cutting-edge technological interventions such as artificial intelligence (AI), blockchain innovations, and e-procurement mechanisms to elevate operational efficiency, transparency, and accountability. According to Ayota, these technologies will bolster data-driven strategic evaluations, cost optimization, and fraud mitigation, ensuring real-time bid monitoring and enhanced supplier interactions.
Given that approximately 60% of Uganda’s national financial plan is expended through procurement-related channels, its influence on macroeconomic progression is undeniable. Benson Tumuramye, the Executive Director of the Public Procurement and Disposal of Public Assets Authority (PPDA), emphasized that governmental policies are explicitly structured to prioritize and empower domestic suppliers, reinforcing their participation in nation-building initiatives.
By recalibrating its procurement methodologies and leveraging emergent technological advancements, NSSF is not merely facilitating contractual engagements but is actively sculpting Uganda’s economic resurgence and infrastructural metamorphosis.
