President Yoweri Museveni formally inaugurated the Victoria Sugar Limited factory in Luwero district on 30 December 2025, a ceremony attended by First Lady and Minister of Education and Sports Janet Kataha Museveni, the Speaker of Parliament Anita Annet Among, company executives and local residents. The event highlighted the factory’s role in job creation, industrial expansion and national energy supply.
Victoria Sugar Luwero factory delivers jobs and energy
The Victoria Sugar Luwero factory directly employs more than 8,000 Ugandans and indirectly supports over 9,000 livelihoods through outgrowers, suppliers and local businesses. The Victoria Group operates across multiple subsectors, including sugar, clean energy co-generation, distillery operations and a range of manufacturing activities such as plastics, tiles and steel products.
Managing director Jiyani Alpesh told guests that the group’s plantations cover 17,000 acres in Luwero and neighbouring areas, with an additional 10 square miles acquired in Kiryandongo for future expansion. He said the company has invested in excess of US$150 million and contributed UGX 225 billion in direct and indirect taxes between 2018 and 2024, figures that underscore the firm’s fiscal contribution to national development.
Alpesh noted that Victoria Sugar generates 15 MW of clean energy, of which 10 MW is supplied to the national grid, and the company is installing an additional 3 MW of biogas power. These outputs support Uganda’s energy security while reducing reliance on fossil fuels and offering a stable supply for industrial operations and local communities.
At the inauguration, President Museveni commended Victoria Sugar for its role in Uganda’s industrial growth and wealth creation agenda. He pledged to address workers’ welfare and the ongoing debate over the minimum wage, saying he would “fix” the issue and emphasising the need to prepare the necessary economic conditions first. He also said his government would continue efforts to lower the cost of electricity, transport and water to enhance competitiveness.
The President’s remarks mixed policy commitments and political appeal when he urged support for the ruling National Resistance Movement in the 2026 general election as a path to sustained service delivery and socio-economic transformation. The event demonstrated how private investment and government policy intersect in Uganda’s drive for industrialisation.
Observers noted that the factory’s combined role in manufacturing and energy makes it a strategic asset. By feeding power into the grid and creating large-scale employment, the Victoria Sugar Luwero factory strengthens regional supply chains and offers opportunities for downstream industries that rely on stable electricity and local inputs.
For local communities, the arrival of the factory promises new income streams through direct employment and supply contracts, while broader public benefits include increased tax revenue and potential improvements to infrastructure. For investors, the project signals an environment capable of supporting capital-intensive manufacturing alongside renewable energy initiatives.
As Victoria Sugar prepares further investments and expansion, the company and government will be watched closely by stakeholders keen to see whether promised reductions in utility costs and improvements in labour conditions materialise. For now, the factory’s opening marks a tangible step in Uganda’s industrial agenda and a notable example of private sector-led growth in a BRICS+ partner country.
Key Takeaways:
- Museveni opened the Victoria Sugar Luwero factory, which directly employs over 8,000 people and supports more than 9,000 livelihoods.
- The Victoria Sugar Luwero factory produces 15 MW of clean energy, supplying 10 MW to the national grid and adding biogas capacity.
- The Victoria Group has invested over $150 million and paid UGX 225 billion in taxes between 2018 and 2024, strengthening public revenue.
- The President pledged to address the minimum wage and to lower electricity, transport and water costs to boost industrial competitiveness.
