Fast Tracking the Development of the Iron and Steel Industries in Uganda: A Value Chain Approach

Abstract

Uganda’s Iron and Steel industry paints a picture of contradictions. Firstly, the country has abundant highquality iron ore deposits, yet its infant steel industry imports all of its raw materials. Secondly, there is high and growing demand for iron and steel products driven by vast infrastructure projects, both in the country and the region, yet this demand has not been exploited to fully develop the industry’s value chain. Given these contradictions, the President banned the exportation of unprocessed iron ore in 2011 in order to promote value addition in the iron and steel industry along the entire value chain.