Matia Kasaija (Centre), the Minister of Finance with his junior MinistersUganda’s economy has taken off, Matia Kasaija, the Minister of Finance, has said.He made the remarks while delivering the speech for Shs72.37 trillion 2025/2026 budget at Kololo Independence Grounds on Thursday 12th June 2025.“The economic fundamentals – GDP growth, price stability, currency stability, jobs, export and FDI receipts – are in good shape, and highly competitive regionally and globally,” Kasaija said, adding: “We have met the criteria for graduation from the category of LDCs. Poverty and inequality have reduced, significantly. Our deliberate onslaught on the subsistence economy has resulted in cutting the number of Ugandans working for only the stomach to just 3 in every 10 households.”He added that with Government’s renewed commitment to fast-track full monetisation of the economy and redirect resources towards agro-industrialisation, tourism, mineral beneficiation, manufacturing, innovations by our scientists and digital transformation, “Uganda is indeed unstoppable.”“We are determined to transform into a 500-billion-dollar economy, powered by value addition to our abundant agricultural raw materials and natural resources, growth in industry, tourism and the knowledge economy. This budget, therefore, is for all Ugandans who are ready to create wealth,” he said.The theme for the Shs72.3 trillion 2025/26 budget is “Full Monetization of the Ugandan Economy through Commercial Agriculture, Industrialization, Expanding and Broadening Services, Digital Transformation and Market Access.”The Minister said Uganda is among the fastest growing economies in the world and is projected to become the fastest growing by 2031, according to the Harvard Growth Lab.“This is despite the various domestic, regional and global shocks that have impacted us in recent years,” he said.The Minister insists Uganda’s strategy aims to expand the size of the economy to USD 500 billion by 2040, from USD 61.3 billion estimated this financial year 2024/25.“The economy more than tripled to Shs 226.3 trillion, equivalent to USD 61.3 billion, this financial year 2024/25, from Shs 64.8 trillion, equivalent to USD 27.9 billion, in FY2010/11,” Kasaija said.He added that the economy has strengthened its resilience to domestic and external shocks, and is estimated to grow by 6.3 percent this financial year 2024/25.“This is after recording growth of 8.6 percent in the third quarter of this financial year. Last financial year 2023/24 the economy grew by 6.1 percent,” he said.The post Unstoppable: Colleagues, Uganda’s Economy Has Taken Off – Kasaija appeared first on Business Focus.