DST Patrick Ocailap reveals to the private sector how investment in transport & infrastructure will boost exports.

The Integrated Transport and Infrastructure Services (ITIS) is a government Programme composed of up to 33 lead implementing institutions, other ministries and agencies, including the Ministry of Works and Transport, Kampala Capital City Authority, Uganda Civil Aviation Authority, among others, responsible for Uganda’s transport infrastructure development.

Officiating at the 6^th strategy implementation group (SIG) meeting held on 17^th July 2025, The Deputy Secretary to the Treasury, Mr. Patrick Ocailap, said that the Integrated Transport and Infrastructure Services (ITIS) Program is central to Uganda’s development priorities under the Fourth National Development Plan (NDP IV).

He said ITIS, aims at modernizing the country’s transport infrastructure to remove logistical bottlenecks that raise the cost of doing business.

"Under NDP IV, the government is targeting expansion of the national paved road network to 7,500 km, growing rail coverage to 462 km, and operationalizing 7 international and 15 domestic ferries to strengthen inland water transport," he said.

He added that the plan also includes upgrading 22 logistics hubs and integrating road, rail, air, and water systems to streamline cargo movement and link industrial and export zones to both domestic and international markets.

He tipped the private sector to leverage these emerging opportunities to scale up investments and drive the export agenda forward.

The DST revealed that these investments are designed to lower transport costs, reduce turn-around time for cargo, and improve the reliability of trade logistics.

“ITIS is an enabler- to achieve Uganda’s ambition as set out in the Tenfold Growth Strategy- expanding the economy from USD 50 billion in FY2022/23 to USD 500 billion by 2040 & growing exports from USD 7.5 billion to USD 90 billion” he added

Representatives of implementing MDAs in a meeting 

The meeting was convened under the framework of the Second National Strategy for Private Sector Development (NSPSD II) with a focus on the performance of the Integrated Transport and Infrastructure Services (ITIS) Program.

According to the government, ITIS Programme’s goal aims to have a seamless, safe, inclusive and sustainable multi-modal transport system.

By June 2025, the ITIS programme was expected to achieve main results, including reducing the average travel time, reducing freight transportation costs, increasing the stock of transport infrastructure, increasing average infrastructure life span and reducing fatality and casualties from transport accidents.