Uganda Airlines signs $982M Boeing deal for 10 aircraft as budget boosts tourism
Uganda Airlines signed a landmark Shs3.7 trillion (~$982 million) agreement with Boeing for 10 new aircraft — eight passenger jets and two cargo freighters — at State House Entebbe in the presence of President Museveni, marking the largest fleet expansion since the carrier's 2019 revival. The government separately allocated Shs571.5 billion to boost tourism in the 2026/27 budget, reinforcing an export- and connectivity-driven economic agenda. Domestically, the Uganda Albino Association pressed the government for more funding for skin cancer prevention and care, citing chronic medicine shortages, while the Uganda Manufacturers Association opened its 14th Eastern Region Trade Fair in Mbale.
Why it matters
Uganda's aviation push positions Entebbe to compete with established regional hubs like Ethiopian Airlines, Kenya Airways and RwandAir, signaling Kampala's ambition to capture trade, tourism and cargo flows across Africa. The scale of the Boeing commitment also reflects deepening Uganda-US commercial ties even amid periodic diplomatic friction over governance and human rights.