KAMPALA, UGANDA — The National Enterprise Corporation (NEC), the commercial arm of the Uganda People’s Defence Forces (UPDF), has collaborated with STREIT (U) Ltd to inaugurate their inaugural armoured vehicle showroom outside of their primary manufacturing facility in Nakasongola.
NEC-STREIT, a joint venture established in 2022 between the two entities, was initially focused on producing armoured vehicles for security forces. However, their scope has since broadened to include vehicles for civilian applications.
The newly opened showroom, strategically located in Abayita Ababiri along the Kampala-Entebbe road, aims to improve accessibility to their products, particularly for civilian clients.
This location is more convenient than the Nakasongola Army Base, which Managing Director of NEC, Lt Gen James Mugira, acknowledged as “a not-so-friendly environment to civilians.”
When questioned about the anticipated market, Gen. Mugira stated that they cater to both civilian and military customers, offering vehicles tailored to their specific needs, and are also targeting regional export opportunities.
Mugira explained that the partnership between NEC and STREIT, a company based in the United Arab Emirates, was partly conceived to bolster local industrial capabilities and to conserve the country’s foreign exchange expenditure on importing such vehicles.
The range of vehicles produced includes not only luxury models aimed at the civilian market but also armoured ambulances, personnel carriers, and anti-riot police vehicles, among others.
According to Guerman Goutorov, Chairman of NEC-STREIT, the Nakasongola plant currently has a production capacity of at least 40 vehicles per month, a figure that is expected to increase in line with market demand.
Goutorov emphasized the critical role of a local and regional armoured or military vehicle industry in maintaining peace and security, which he asserted are essential for economic stability and overall development.
Regarding Uganda’s manufacturing capacity, Goutorov noted that while assembly takes place locally, some vehicle components are manufactured from imported raw materials not currently available within the country.
Civilian vehicle prices start at $100,000, approximately Sh370 million, with the Chairman indicating that they also offer high-end models costing up to $1 million (Sh3.7 billion).
The showroom was officially opened on Wednesday by Huda Oleru Abason, the Minister of State for Defence and Veteran Affairs, who lauded the development as a significant step in strengthening Uganda’s burgeoning security and industrial capacity.
“This new facility signifies Uganda’s commitment to becoming a regional hub for defence innovation and technology, and puts Uganda on the way to the industrialisation stage,” she stated.
Minister Abason further commented that local production would significantly reduce expenditure on foreign “benchmarking” trips by government officials, highlighting the country’s increasing self-sufficiency in this sector.
She also pointed out that this development is particularly timely, given the growing global need for collaboration in military strategy to address evolving security challenges.
