For Ugandan farmer Ssalongo Lubwama Richard Mukubabyasi, the arithmetic of patience is finally paying off. After a decade of nurturing organic coffee, his harvest is riding a wave that has thrust Uganda into the spotlight of the global coffee trade. “The numbers look better than ever. Buyers are chasing our beans, and I’m confident the returns will keep rising,” he says with measured optimism.
Uganda has quietly outpaced Ethiopia to become Africa’s leading Robusta coffee powerhouse, recording unprecedented export levels in mid-2025. In July alone, the Uganda Coffee Development Authority reported shipments of nearly 60,000 tonnes worth $250.6 million , a remarkable leap fueled by bumper harvests in regions such as Masaka and the southwest. Ethiopia, long considered the continent’s coffee giant, moved 38,663 tonnes during the same period, underscoring Uganda’s momentum in volume-driven growth.
Behind the surge lies a mix of good fortune and strategic planning. Severe weather shocks in Brazil and Vietnam , the world’s largest producers , left supply gaps that Uganda has been quick to fill. At the same time, steady government investment in seedlings, processing facilities, and market expansion has lifted output by almost 3% annually, positioning Uganda as a resilient player in a volatile global commodity chain.
The ripple effects are visible on the ground. In Ethiopia, processors and hotels like Dagel Same Hotel and Coffee Hub are running at full throttle, drawing beans directly from farmers and linking them to markets stretching from North Africa to Europe, India, and the United States. “Every increase in sales means more jobs, more cafés, and more opportunities,” says Christopher Nyanzi, the company’s operation manager. “What’s happening in China with café culture can happen here too.”
Global forecasts suggest world coffee production will climb to a record 178.7 million bags in 2025–26, buoyed by recoveries in Vietnam, Indonesia, and Ethiopia. But with Brazil and Colombia still struggling to rebound, analysts predict African exporters will retain their competitive edge. Uganda, targeting 20 million bags by 2035, is betting that quality control and aggressive market diversification will cement its place not just as a supplier of beans, but as a global coffee brand in its own right.
