Masheda Foods has expanded its agribusiness footprint with the opening of a modern catfish processing facility in Buyala, Mpigi District. The factory, launched on January 23, 2025, sits on a 25-acre site along Mityana Road, just 15 kilometers outside Kampala, and also houses a hatchery.
The enterprise, known for commercial catfish farming and processing, unveiled the facility in a ceremony officiated by Ramathan Ggoobi, Permanent Secretary at the Ministry of Finance, Planning, and Economic Development. Ggoobi described the venture as a practical example of Uganda’s long-term plan to grow its economy tenfold and transition into a wealthier nation.
He explained that the government’s growth agenda—summarized under the acronym ATMs (Agro-industrialization, Tourism, Mineral-based industrialization and manufacturing, and Science, Technology, and Innovation)—aims to unlock multi-billion-dollar opportunities in key sectors. According to him, agriculture alone could generate up to $20 billion, while tourism and minerals could add $50 billion and $25 billion respectively.
Masheda’s Managing Director, Marvin Lwasa, said the new plant is central to the company’s mission of building a sustainable agribusiness model. He noted that it will create jobs for youth and women, enhance food security, and raise the profile of Uganda’s catfish products on regional and global markets.
Sherinah Ainembabazi Nabakooza, one of the company directors, said the factory has been designed to meet international standards, enabling Masheda to produce value-added products such as smoked fillets, catfish sausages, burgers, and catfish powder—all with guaranteed food safety and traceability.
Already, Masheda supplies more than 60 outlets in Kinshasa and distributes in Nairobi, with plans to expand into European e-commerce platforms like Amazon in the UK, Belgium, and France. Over 80% of the raw materials are sourced locally through a network of out-grower farmers.
Beyond production, the company is investing in community impact projects. Since 2020, its farm school has trained over 500 formerly homeless youth in aquaculture and processing, with many now running their own ponds under Masheda’s out-grower program. Another initiative, Nkore Designs, equips single mothers in Buyala with skills to make and sell reed crafts, giving them both income and independence.
Through these initiatives, Masheda Foods says it is advancing the government’s Buy Uganda, Build Uganda (BUBU) agenda by creating jobs, boosting local enterprise, and showcasing agribusiness as a driver of inclusive growth.
