Driving Inclusive Trade Through Gender-Responsive Market Access
Women-led small and medium-sized enterprises (SMEs) are vital to Africa’s economic development. They contribute significantly to employment, community livelihoods, and local innovation—yet they remain disproportionately excluded from regional and global trade. Barriers such as limited access to finance, restricted mobility, and gender-biased regulatory environments continue to hold back their full export potential.
The 15th UK–Africa Business Summit 2025 is prioritizing the export empowerment of women entrepreneurs, recognizing that inclusive trade is not only a social imperative but a strategic economic driver.
1. Gender-Lens Trade Finance and Credit Schemes
UK development partners and African financial institutions are designing export finance tools specifically tailored for women-led SMEs. These include low-interest credit lines, loan guarantees, and working capital solutions that consider the unique constraints women face in collateral and credit history.
2. Capacity Building and Export Readiness Programs for Women Entrepreneurs
Targeted training in export compliance, product certification, and international marketing is being delivered through women-focused business accelerators and trade academies. These programs offer mentorship, coaching, and access to UK-based networks and buyers.
3. Digital Trade Platforms for Women in Business
UK-Africa tech collaborations are enabling women entrepreneurs to access e-commerce and digital trade platforms, helping them bypass traditional market barriers. Mobile-based solutions are especially impactful in rural areas, where women face the greatest infrastructure challenges.
4. Trade Missions and B2B Matchmaking
The Summit is facilitating women-only trade missions and curated B2B events connecting women-led businesses with UK and global buyers. These platforms are helping build trust, visibility, and long-term export relationships.
5. Strengthening Women’s Role in Export Value Chains
Women-led SMEs in textiles, agribusiness, handmade goods, and natural beauty products are being supported to integrate into high-value export chains. UK partners are providing technical support in packaging, quality assurance, branding, and sustainable sourcing.
6. Gender-Inclusive Trade Policy and Advocacy
Through dialogue platforms at the Summit, stakeholders are advocating for policies that remove structural barriers to women’s export participation. These include simplified customs procedures, childcare support for traders, and harmonized trade rules that account for informal and micro-enterprise realities.
This year’s Summit is a pivotal moment to unlock the untapped export potential of Africa’s women entrepreneurs. Key outcomes include:
By placing women-led SMEs at the center of its export development strategy, the UK–Africa Business Summit 2025 is advancing a more inclusive and resilient model of economic growth—one where African women are not just participants in trade, but powerful drivers of it.
Businessman and Conservative Life Peer, House of Lords, UK
Lord Dolar Popat is a businessman, Conservative life peer in the House of Lords, and one of the UK’s most experienced parliamentary voices on UK–Africa trade and investment. Appointed to the House of Lords in 2010, he built a successful career in the hospitality and property sectors before entering public service.
Born in Uganda, Lord Popat brings a personal and strategic understanding of East Africa’s commercial landscape. As a former UK Prime Minister’s Trade Envoy to Uganda and Rwanda, with the Democratic Republic of Congo later added to his brief, he has played an important role in strengthening bilateral trade, supporting UK business engagement, and promoting investment-led partnerships across the region.
At the UK–Africa Investment Summit 2026, Lord Popat will share practical insights on deepening UK–Africa trade and investment relations, with a focus on enterprise, private sector growth, market access, and long-term commercial partnerships.
His perspective is especially relevant to discussions on the UK–Africa–India trilateral investment corridor, Uganda’s role as the 2026 Strategic Growth Partner, and the Summit’s focus on moving from access to production, from dialogue to execution, and from interest to bankable outcomes.
A strong advocate for enterprise, education, and stronger UK–Africa economic relations, Lord Popat continues to engage with business leaders, policymakers, investors, and institutions committed to expanding commercially credible partnerships between the UK and African markets.
His contribution to UKAIS 2026 will add depth to conversations on investment diplomacy, private capital mobilisation, regional trade corridors, and the practical conditions required to turn trade ambition into structured investment, industrial partnerships, and deal execution.
$1.6b, leads as Uganda's richest individual
Dr Sudhir Ruparelia
Founder and Chairman, Ruparelia Group
Dr Sudhir Ruparelia is one of East Africa’s most influential entrepreneurs, renowned for building one of Uganda’s largest and most diversified business conglomerates. His journey from exile to success is a powerful story of resilience, vision, and disciplined growth.
Expelled from Uganda with his family during the 1972 Asian exodus, he rebuilt his life in the United Kingdom, working various jobs and venturing into real estate trading. Returning to Kampala in 1985 with $25,000 in savings, he invested in ventures that would grow into a multi-billion-dollar portfolio. Within a decade, he established Uganda’s first licensed forex bureau and later founded Crane Bank, transforming the financial sector by increasing accessibility, extending service hours, and reducing banking costs.
Today, he leads the Ruparelia Group, with investments in banking, insurance, real estate, hospitality, education, media, and floriculture. Landmark enterprises such as Speke Resort & Convention Centre, Kampala Parents School, Meera Investments, and Rosebud Ltd have become national assets. His floriculture companies export over 150 million roses annually to the UK and other markets, meeting the highest Good Agricultural Practice standards.
Dr Ruparelia’s leadership has been marked by resilience, including overcoming the loss of Crane Bank in 2016 and regaining his position through a landmark Supreme Court ruling in 2022. Ranked by Forbes among Africa’s wealthiest individuals, he continues to invest with a steadfast belief in Uganda’s and Africa’s long-term potential. Through the Ruparelia Foundation, he supports initiatives in education, healthcare, and community development, cementing his legacy as both a visionary investor and a committed philanthropist.
Senior Presidential Advisor at State House
Hon. Ruth Nankabirwa Ssentamu Former Minister of Energy and Mineral Development, Republic of Uganda Speaker, Mining and Energy Session Hon. Ruth Nankabirwa Ssentamu is a senior Ugandan political leader, former Minister of Energy and Mineral Development, and private-sector businesswoman with extensive experience across energy policy, mineral development, public leadership and investment-facing reform. As Minister of Energy and Mineral Development, she played a central role in shaping Uganda’s energy and minerals agenda during one of the country’s most important transition periods. Her tenure covered major reforms and milestones across electricity generation, transmission, petroleum development, mineral governance, state participation in mining, value addition and energy transition planning. Hon. Nankabirwa led Uganda’s engagement around the Energy Transition Plan, launched at COP28, which set out a long-term pathway for universal modern energy access, energy-sector modernisation, industrial growth, emissions management and regional energy positioning. She also oversaw major infrastructure and policy priorities, including the commissioning of the 600 MW Karuma Hydropower Project, expansion of national generation capacity, power distribution reforms, petroleum infrastructure development and preparations for Uganda’s entry into commercial oil production. In the minerals sector, she was closely associated with Uganda’s shift toward stronger state participation, structured investor engagement and domestic value addition. Under the Mining and Minerals Act 2022 framework, Uganda moved to establish a state-owned mining company to manage the government’s commercial interests and 15 percent participation in large and medium-scale mining projects. This approach was designed to strengthen Uganda’s ability to retain more value from its mineral wealth while working with credible private-sector partners. At UKAIS 2026, Hon. Nankabirwa brings a rare combination of ministerial experience, sector knowledge and private-sector insight. Her contribution to the mining and energy session will help UK investors understand Uganda’s energy and minerals journey from inside government, including the policy choices, infrastructure demands, investment opportunities and implementation challenges that define the sector. Her perspective will be especially valuable in discussions on mineral beneficiation, energy infrastructure, public-private partnerships, domestic processing, investor confidence, petroleum development, power supply for industry and Uganda’s wider ambition to move from resource access to bankable industrial value.
Minister of Finance, Planning and Economic Development
Hon. Matia Kasaija
Minister of Finance, Planning and Economic Development – Republic of Uganda
Hon. Matia Kasaija has served as Uganda’s Minister of Finance, Planning and Economic Development since 2015. He oversees fiscal policy, national budgeting, public investment planning, and economic development strategy, with a focus on accelerating inclusive growth and achieving Uganda’s Vision 2040 goals.
A senior member of Cabinet and Parliament, Hon. Kasaija has played a key role in driving macroeconomic stability, public financial management reforms, and infrastructure financing. Under his leadership, Uganda has implemented major projects in transport, energy, and oil and gas, while maintaining a strong emphasis on debt sustainability and domestic resource mobilisation.
He previously served as State Minister for Finance (Planning and Economic Development) and State Minister for Internal Affairs, bringing over four decades of public service experience. His background includes leadership roles in public administration, political mobilisation, and cooperative development.
Hon. Kasaija holds a degree in Commerce from Makerere University and is known for his pragmatic approach to economic policy and fiscal discipline.
British entrepreneur & Member of the House of Lords
Lord Rami Ranger is a celebrated British entrepreneur, philanthropist, and Member of the House of Lords. Rising from humble beginnings as a refugee to building a business empire, Lord Ranger founded Sun Mark Ltd and Sea Air & Land Forwarding—two award-winning UK export companies with a combined annual turnover exceeding £150 million and operations in over 130 countries.
Honoured eight times by Her Majesty the Queen, including as Commander of the British Empire (CBE) in 2016, Lord Ranger holds a historic record of receiving five consecutive Queen’s Awards for Enterprise. His influence spans business, diplomacy, and community leadership—as Patron of the Conservative Friends of India, Chairman of the British Sikh Association, and Fellow of The Prince’s Trust.
He is also a champion of education, having donated millions to British universities, student entrepreneurship centres, and public memorials, including the Gandhi statue at Parliament Square.
Lord Ranger brings unmatched insight into global trade, diaspora leadership, and public service—anchored in values of integrity, resilience, and inclusive growth.
Assistant Secretary General, The Commonwealth
Prof. Luis Franceschi
Assistant Secretary-General, Governance and Peace Directorate
The Commonwealth Secretariat
At the 15th UK–Africa Business, Trade & Investment Summit, Prof. Luis Franceschi will contribute to the high-level dialogue on governance, institutional trust, and regional stability as enablers of sustainable investment.
Drawing from his leadership at the Commonwealth Secretariat and deep expertise in democratic governance, Prof. Franceschi will explore how transparent institutions, rule of law, and peacebuilding frameworks are essential to unlocking long-term investment and economic partnerships across Africa. His insights will highlight the role of good governance in de-risking investment environments, ensuring social cohesion, and advancing inclusive growth in line with the ATMS pillars (Agriculture, Tourism, Manufacturing, and Science & Technology).
Prof. Franceschi’s intervention will underscore the importance of aligning public policy with investor confidence, and the Commonwealth’s role in supporting member states to build resilient, just, and peaceful societies.
