The Turkish supplier’s planned Kampala visit signals growing competition to localize textile and defence-related production in African markets.
Turkish manufacturer Raff Military Textile is exploring Uganda as part of its next African expansion phase, with a delegation led by Chief Executive Officer Eray Yükseloğlu expected in Kampala from July 21–25. The visit will be part of a trade mission coordinated by the Turkish Exporters Assembly, according to New Vision. The company supplies institutional and defence textiles in more than 60 countries.
Uganda wants factories, not just imports
The timing is commercially significant. Uganda is seeking foreign investors that can establish local production, transfer skills and reduce dependence on imported finished goods. President Yoweri Museveni has again emphasized import substitution as part of the country’s industrial strategy, while Uganda’s FY2026/27 budget framework projects 10.2% economic growth, supported by oil production, infrastructure, agriculture and industrial expansion.
For Uganda, the attraction is not merely uniform supply. A defence-textile partnership could support manufacturing jobs, skills development, fabric and garment-processing capacity, and wider procurement links with government and institutional buyers.
A partnership-led model
Raff’s stated approach is to explore long-term partnerships and potential joint ventures with Ugandan companies. This mirrors its recent East African strategy: earlier this year the company also targeted Kenya, presenting the country as a gateway to the region and emphasizing collaboration with local firms rather than a purely export-led model.
The company’s product base includes military uniforms, police uniforms, camouflage, boots, tents and related defence textile products. Raff has previously described Africa as a strategic market and said Turkish textile exporters reached $12.9 billion in exports in 2022, with the continent forming a key part of that growth.
Execution will decide the impact
Uganda’s location within the East African Community and access to wider African markets through AfCFTA make it attractive for manufacturers seeking a regional base. But the outcome will depend on procurement rules, partner capability, investment protection, production economics and whether talks move beyond distribution into actual manufacturing.
The next signal to watch is whether the July Kampala mission produces a concrete joint-venture structure, local production commitment, or only a market-entry arrangement.
