KAMPALA | Uganda’s Ministry of Gender, Labour and Social Development is preparing to convene one of the country’s most significant labour market gatherings in recent years, as government officials, employers, development partners and training institutions meet to address persistent gaps that continue to challenge the nation’s workforce.
The National Employers’ Conference and Exhibition 2025, scheduled for tomorrow at Mestil Hotel and Residences in Kampala, is expected to draw senior leaders from across Uganda’s world of work. The event, organized by the Ministry in partnership with Enabel, the International Organization for Migration, the Federation of Uganda Employers, KCCA and several other institutions, will be opened by the Rt. Hon. Prime Minister.
Speaking at the Uganda Media Centre, the Minister of Gender, Labour and Social Development framed the conference as a timely and necessary response to the pressures shaping Uganda’s labour market. “Our economy is undergoing significant transformation,” the Minister said, citing rapid technological change, shifting demographics, evolving skills demands and the national pursuit of decent employment for all Ugandans.
This year’s theme — Advancing Employment Pathways and Competitiveness through Career Guidance, Innovation, Digitization, Partnerships and Labour Mobility — aligns squarely with Uganda’s ambition to build a productive, digitally enabled workforce that can drive the country toward upper-middle-income status.
A Workforce Growing Faster Than Opportunities
Uganda’s labour market faces mounting strain as the country produces an estimated 700,000 new jobseekers every year, far more than the formal economy can absorb. According to the National Labour Force Survey of 2021, most Ugandans rely on informal networks to find work, while only a small fraction secure positions through formal advertisements.
The Minister noted that this disconnect has left large numbers of young people vulnerable to unemployment, underemployment and misinformation. At the same time, employers continue to struggle with mismatched skills, low productivity levels, limited uptake of digital tools and weak linkages with training institutions. Reintegration of Ugandan migrant workers returning from abroad remains another critical but under-addressed priority.
These challenges emerge just as Uganda prepares to enter a new phase of economic strategy under the 10-fold growth agenda and the forthcoming National Development Plan IV, both of which place industrialization, skilling, technology adoption, labour mobility and digital transformation at the center of the country’s growth trajectory.
A New National Platform
The conference, which will now be held annually, is expected to bring together CEOs, employer organizations, government ministries and agencies, academic institutions, innovators, jobseekers and returnee migrant workers. It will combine high-level keynote sessions with a panel discussion featuring leading experts from key sectors of Uganda’s economy.
The discussions will examine the future of work, the role of innovation and digital technology in boosting productivity, and emerging strategies for supporting Ugandan migrant workers returning home. Other sessions will explore career guidance, labour mobility, digital job matching and practical ways to strengthen collaboration between employers and training institutions.
Alongside the deliberations, the event will feature an exhibition space hosting more than fifteen major employers from sectors including manufacturing, oil and gas, ICT, automotive and services. These companies will showcase job opportunities, innovations and digital solutions designed to improve workplace efficiency. Returnee migrant workers trained under the partnership between the Ministry and IOM will also display their skills.
Shaping Uganda’s Future Workforce
Officials expect the conference to deepen dialogue among employers, government actors and workers’ organizations, and to produce clear recommendations for addressing skills mismatches, productivity gaps and digital inclusion barriers. It is also intended to expand partnerships around skilling and employment creation, while boosting public awareness of emerging job opportunities and employer expectations.
Another key outcome is the development of strategies for reintegrating migrant workers into Uganda’s domestic economy — a growing priority as international labour mobility becomes increasingly central to Uganda’s economic agenda.
A National Call to Action
In closing, the Minister urged employers to take a more active role in shaping a labour market that rewards innovation, productivity and decent work. Training institutions were encouraged to align curricula more closely with the evolving needs of the economy, while young people were urged to use the conference as an opportunity to learn, network and access credible employment pathways. The media was called upon to continue disseminating accurate information on employment programs, including public employment services and digital job-matching platforms that the Ministry is strengthening.
The Minister expressed gratitude to IOM, Enabel, the Federation of Uganda Employers, KCCA and various private-sector partners for their support in advancing Uganda’s employment agenda, and invited the public to follow the conference proceedings live on the Ministry’s social media channels and mainstream media outlets.
“Together, we can build a future where every Ugandan has access to decent and productive employment,” the Minister said, underscoring the government’s commitment to transforming Uganda’s workforce in the face of rapid global change.
