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Kampala, Uganda | PATRICIA AKANKWATSA | The Ministry of Finance, Planning and Economic Development has unveiled its much-anticipated National Development Plan IV (NDP IV), a strategic roadmap to catapult the nation towards double-digit economic growth and a more prosperous future.
According to Officials, NDP IV builds on the foundation laid by previous development plans, taking stock of past successes and shortcomings. It prioritizes sustainable economic diversification, moving beyond a reliance on traditional sectors like agriculture.
Speaking at the national planning conference, on May 29th State Minister for Finance, Amos Lugoloobi, highlighted the plan’s alignment with two key strategic visions.
“This plan is in line with His Excellency’s ambition of growing the economy ten-fold, from USD 49.5 billion as of FY 2023/2024 to USD 500 billion in the next 15 years, in a transformative, inclusive and sustainable manner,” Lugoloobi said.
Firstly, NDP IV directly supports Uganda’s Vision 2040, a long-term roadmap for transforming the nation into a developed and inclusive society.
Second, the plan adheres to the United Nations’ Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs), demonstrating Uganda’s commitment to tackling global challenges like poverty, inequality, and climate change.
Key areas earmarked for growth include mineral extraction, the burgeoning oil and gas industry, and the development of a robust tourism sector.
Furthermore, the plan recognizes the burgeoning importance of technology in the modern economy, focusing on fostering advancements in information and communication technology (ICT) as well as financial services.
Lucy Nakyobe the head of service/secretary to the cabinet said that despite the promise of progress, the government is faced with limited budget flexibility in light of the various commitments that have been made.
“Government’s ambition to grow the economy double-digit, we need to address the underlying constraints that impede our full achievement of development goals & targets, and negatively affect service delivery,”
Ministry of Finance, Planning and Economic Development (MoFPED) Permanent Secretary Ramathan Ggoobi said that a new system called Indicative Planning Figures (IPFs) to improve resource allocation has been introduced to ensure that limited funds are used efficiently to meet existing commitments and strategically support new priorities outlined in the country’s 10-fold growth strategy.
He emphasized the importance of this approach, particularly for carrying forward critical national projects like the standard gauge railway and oil developments within NDPIV.
“To maximize resource utilization and avoid duplication of efforts, I encourage programme leaders to develop detailed action plans with clear resource allocations and called for strong collaboration between government and development partners,”
The NDP (2020/21–2024/25) expires in June 2025. This therefore, means that legally (as per the NPA Act; NPA Regulations Section 8 (1) & 2 (b); and PFM Act), the draft Plan (NDP IV 2025/26 – 2029/30) should be ready by July 2024
The NDPIV is the fourth out of six National Development Plans (NDPs) that are meant to implement Uganda Vision 2040. It is also the last Plan to deliver the Global Agenda 2030 of the Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs), and the first within the implementation of the Government’s strategy for the achievement of 10-fold growth.
