Youth Economic Opportunity Ecosystem Analysis: Uganda Country Report

This report is the key output of an assessment implemented in Uganda, as part of YouthStart Global inception phase. The report aims to capture a picture of the youth economic opportunities ecosystem in Uganda by:

• Providing an overview of the employment challenge and demand for financial services;
• Presenting a comprehensive analysis of the demand for and the supply of labor;
• Identifying high-potential opportunities for youth.

It also provides an overview and mapping of the current youth intervention landscape and the supply of financial services, as well as an assessment of key gaps for each of the high-potential opportunities for youth. The key findings presented in the report are:

1. The Ugandan labor market is severely demand constrained, and it is largely accepted that self-employment and enterprise development will be the driving mechanisms to create economic opportunities for youth;
2. Accessing capital is a major and consistent challenge limiting youths’ ability to successfully start a business;
3. A number of sectors, such as agriculture, tourism, information and communications technology (ICT), and trade and transport offer economic opportunities for youth going forward.