Ntungamo — “In the next five years, Uganda should be receiving at least one million coffee tourists,” declared Inspire Africa Group CEO Dr Nelson Tugume, opening a bold new chapter for Uganda’s coffee industry.
“Coffee is beyond the cup — it is culture, science, innovation, heritage, and an experience the world is waiting to discover.”
Dr Tugume’s remarks set the tone as the Inspire Africa Coffee Park in Rwashamaire, Ntungamo District, unveiled its ambitious coffee tourism agenda, positioning the facility not just as an industrial hub but as a global attraction for immersive coffee experiences.
The Deputy Speaker of Parliament, Rt. Hon. Thomas Tayebwa, who toured the expansive facility while on the campaign trail, praised the initiative as “a transformative investment set to redefine Uganda’s coffee story — from the farm to the world.”
“What I have seen here is not just a factory — it is the future of Uganda’s coffee,” Tayebwa said after inspecting the park. “This is the kind of value-addition infrastructure that will drive our industrialisation agenda and uplift farmers across the country.”
Tayebwa was received by Dr Tugume, who guided him through the state-of-the-art processing chain, including the Wet Mill, Dry Mill, Spray Dry, Freeze Dry and Cosmetics production sections. He demonstrated the park’s advanced freeze-dry technology operating at –95°C to produce premium instant coffee — the first of its kind in Uganda.
Coffee Tourism at the Heart of the Vision
The visit comes days before the Coffee Park hosts a high-level Coffee Tourism Strategic Dialogue, themed “One Million Coffee Tourists – $2 Billion Opportunity.”
According to Dr Tugume, the initiative seeks to drive rural transformation, farmer empowerment and global brand elevation through experiential tourism.
“We want tourists to experience the entire journey — the culture, the science, the innovation and the heritage behind Uganda’s coffee,” he said.
To actualise this vision, the 150-acre Coffee Park is constructing an Airstrip, a Coffee Academy, a Fertiliser Plant, a Convention Centre, an Exhibition Centre, and an IT Park — infrastructure designed to anchor a world-class tourism and value-addition ecosystem.
A $5 Billion Coffee Economy Within Reach
Dr Tugume reaffirmed Inspire Africa’s ambitious target of growing Uganda’s coffee earnings from $1 billion to $5 billion annually within five years, with $1 billion expected from coffee tourism alone.
“The global market is already responding,” he said. “We are dispatching new export consignments to China, Turkey and the United States — and China has granted Uganda’s coffee zero-tax entry.”
He rooted his passion in personal history: “I come from a family of coffee farmers — my grandparents nurtured this crop for over a century. Seeing our coffee sold for $79 in the U.S. while farmers earned $1 was a turning point. Our mission is to ensure fairness, dignity and prosperity for those who grow this treasure.”
Challenges Remain — and Parliament Pledges Support
While substantial progress has been made, Dr Tugume noted delays in connecting a direct power line from Mirama Hills and the national water supply — critical for full-scale soluble coffee production.
Tayebwa promised swift intervention. “These bottlenecks must be removed. I will engage the responsible ministries to fast-track power and water connections so this project can reach its full potential.”
He added that the Coffee Park aligns with Uganda’s priority value chains under the forthcoming NDP IV. “This is the kind of innovation that will move Uganda from exporting raw beans to exporting branded excellence. Coffee tourism will not only market our country — it will change livelihoods.”
As Uganda awaits President Yoweri Museveni’s anticipated visit to the project, the Inspire Africa Coffee Park continues to draw national and international attention — firmly establishing Ntungamo as home to Africa’s most ambitious coffee tourism and value-addition hub.
