Uganda’s economy grew by 6.6% in final quarter of 2017, says Ubos

A rise in output in the services and industry sectors provided the bulk of the growth in the last three months of 2017 compared to the last quarter of 2016, according to seasonally adjusted estimates from the Uganda Bureau of Statistics.

The figures show that gross domestic product expanded by 6.6% year-on-year in the final quarter of 2017, down from 7.2% in the previous three months but still the second fastest rate of growth in 12 quarters.

Compared to the previous quarter, however, GDP rose 0.6% to a level of Shs15.2 trillion driven by increases in information and communication activities, trade and repairs, and construction activities.

Activity in the services sector, which accounted for 52.7% of GDP, drove the year-on-year expansion, picking up by 8.8% versus 3.8% in the previous corresponding quarter. The fastest growing sub-sector in services was information and communication, which grew 14.8% year on year. Trade and repairs grew by 7.4% compared to a decline of 2.9% in the last three months of 2016.

Value added in the industry sector increased by 7.4% compared to 4.3% in the last quarter of 2016. Ubos said the better performance was mainly driven by an increase in crude oil mining and exploration activities and the manufacture of drinks. The manufacturing sub-sector expanded by 7.2% while mining and quarrying grew by 27.7%. Industry’s share of GDP was 18.7% in the quarter.

Agriculture, forestry and fishing recorded the lowest sectoral growth of 3.9%. Food crop growing activities increased by 7.8% compared to a contraction of 7.2% in the second quarter of 2016/2017. Forestry activities rose 5.7% versus a 1.6% fall in the previous corresponding quarter. Cash crop growing activities however declined by 14% compared to a growth of 22% in the last three months of 2016.