Imports of goods and services in Uganda
Uganda: Imports of goods and services was 28.8% in 2025. ▲ Rising
Imports of goods and services in Uganda, 1960–2025
Source: Country official statistics, National Statistical Offices (NSOs). Measured in % of GDP.
Analysis
In 2025, imports of goods and services in Uganda stood at 28.8%.
That represents a change of up 11.1% on the previous year and up 15.9% over ten years.
Over the whole period, imports of goods and services in Uganda peaked at 32.0% in 2008 and was at its lowest, 7.8%, in 1977.
Uganda ranks 146th of 193 countries on this measure, in the bottom quarter.
The long-run direction has been consistently rising across the 66 years of available data.
Imports of goods and services in Uganda, year by year
| Year | % of GDP | Change |
|---|---|---|
| 1960 | 21.8% | — |
| 1961 | 21.6% | -0.8% |
| 1962 | 21.4% | -0.9% |
| 1963 | 23.9% | +11.3% |
| 1964 | 23.1% | -3.3% |
| 1965 | 24.4% | +5.5% |
| 1966 | 25.3% | +4.0% |
| 1967 | 24.4% | -3.7% |
| 1968 | 22.6% | -7.3% |
| 1969 | 20.3% | -10.1% |
| 1970 | 20.1% | -1.1% |
| 1971 | 24.0% | +19.1% |
| 1972 | 16.8% | -30.0% |
| 1973 | 13.2% | -21.6% |
| 1974 | 15.0% | +14.4% |
| 1975 | 10.9% | -27.5% |
| 1976 | 9.6% | -12.0% |
| 1977 | 7.8% | -18.8% |
| 1978 | 18.9% | +141.9% |
| 1979 | 17.5% | -7.1% |
| 1980 | 26.0% | +48.5% |
| 1981 | 22.1% | -15.3% |
| 1982 | 17.5% | -20.6% |
| 1983 | 13.6% | -22.1% |
| 1984 | 14.3% | +5.0% |
| 1985 | 15.0% | +4.8% |
| 1986 | 15.2% | +1.5% |
| 1987 | 18.0% | +18.4% |
| 1988 | 17.8% | -1.5% |
| 1989 | 18.1% | +1.8% |
| 1990 | 19.4% | +7.1% |
| 1991 | 21.9% | +13.3% |
| 1992 | 24.3% | +10.7% |
| 1993 | 21.2% | -12.8% |
| 1994 | 19.1% | -9.8% |
| 1995 | 20.8% | +9.1% |
| 1996 | 23.4% | +12.4% |
| 1997 | 20.8% | -11.2% |
| 1998 | 20.4% | -1.9% |
| 1999 | 23.8% | +16.5% |
| 2000 | 22.1% | -7.0% |
| 2001 | 23.8% | +7.8% |
| 2002 | 25.1% | +5.3% |
| 2003 | 25.2% | +0.5% |
| 2004 | 22.8% | -9.7% |
| 2005 | 24.8% | +9.0% |
| 2006 | 28.4% | +14.3% |
| 2007 | 30.1% | +6.0% |
| 2008 | 32.0% | +6.4% |
| 2009 | 28.5% | -11.0% |
| 2010 | 24.4% | -14.1% |
| 2011 | 26.9% | +10.0% |
| 2012 | 28.0% | +4.1% |
| 2013 | 26.6% | -5.0% |
| 2014 | 21.1% | -20.8% |
| 2015 | 24.8% | +17.8% |
| 2016 | 18.8% | -24.3% |
| 2017 | 20.2% | +7.4% |
| 2018 | 21.6% | +6.8% |
| 2019 | 22.3% | +3.3% |
| 2020 | 21.6% | -3.0% |
| 2021 | 25.9% | +20.1% |
| 2022 | 22.5% | -13.3% |
| 2023 | 21.7% | -3.3% |
| 2024 | 25.9% | +19.1% |
| 2025 | 28.8% | +11.1% |
Uganda compared with similar countries
- Uganda's 28.8% is below the median for low income countries, which is 29.1%, 99% of the median. (22 countries reporting)
- Uganda's 28.8% is below the median for Sub-Saharan Africa, which is 30.0%, 96% of the median. (45 countries reporting)
Biggest year-on-year movements
Years where Imports of goods and services in Uganda changed far more than this series normally does. A large move can be a real event or a change in how the figure was measured — the source note below says who published it.
| Year | Change | From | To |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1978 | +141.9% | 7.8% | 18.9% |
Averages by decade
| Decade | Average | Lowest | Highest | Years |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1960s | 22.9% | 20.3% | 25.3% | 10 |
| 1970s | 15.4% | 7.8% | 24.0% | 10 |
| 1980s | 17.8% | 13.6% | 26.0% | 10 |
| 1990s | 21.5% | 19.1% | 24.3% | 10 |
| 2000s | 26.3% | 22.1% | 32.0% | 10 |
| 2010s | 23.5% | 18.8% | 28.0% | 10 |
| 2020s | 24.4% | 21.6% | 28.8% | 6 |
Countries ranked near Uganda
- 143 Gabon 29.4% compare
- 144 Eritrea 29.2% compare
- 145 South Sudan 28.9% compare
- 147 Malawi 28.8% compare
- 148 New Caledonia 28.7% compare
- 149 Syrian Arab Republic 28.7% compare
More economy & growth data for Uganda
- Africa's Development Dynamics (AfDD) Table 04 - Annual real GDP 4.29 Percent per annum (2029)
- Africa's Development Dynamics (AfDD) Table 02 - Annual real GDP 6.99 Percent per annum (2029)
- Foreign direct investment, net outflows (BoP, current US$), gaps 399,794 BoP, current US$ (2024)
- Foreign direct investment, net outflows (BoP, current US$), per unit 0 BoP, current US$ per US$ of GDP (2024)
- Foreign direct investment, net outflows (BoP, current US$), per capita 0.008 BoP, current US$ per person (2024)
- Foreign direct investment, net inflows (BoP, current US$), gaps filled 3.26 billion BoP, current US$ (2024)
- Foreign direct investment, net inflows (BoP, current US$), annual 8.81 % change on previous year (2024)
- Foreign direct investment, net inflows (BoP, current US$), per unit 0.0604 BoP, current US$ per US$ of GDP (2024)
- Foreign direct investment, net inflows (BoP, current US$), per capita 65.12 BoP, current US$ per person (2024)
- Total reserves (includes gold, current US$), annual growth rate -11.58 % change on previous year (2024)
Frequently asked questions
- What is imports of goods and services in Uganda?
- Imports of goods and services in Uganda was 28.8% in 2025, according to Country official statistics, National Statistical Offices (NSOs).
- What is the highest imports of goods and services recorded in Uganda?
- The highest recorded value was 32.0% in 2008.
- What is the lowest imports of goods and services recorded in Uganda?
- The lowest recorded value was 7.8% in 1977.
- How does Uganda rank for imports of goods and services?
- Uganda ranks 146th out of 193 countries with data for 2025.
- Is imports of goods and services rising or falling in Uganda?
- Over the last ten years it is up 15.9%. The long-run trend across the full record is rising.
- Where does this Uganda data come from?
- The figures come from Country official statistics, National Statistical Offices (NSOs), published as part of Imports of goods and services (% of GDP). Statizoid updates them automatically from the source API.
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About this data
Imports of goods includes change in the economic ownership of goods from non-residents to residents of the compiling economy, irrespective of physical movement of goods across national borders. Imports of services includes services provided by non-residents to residents. This indicator is expressed as a percentage of Gross Domestic Product (GDP) which is the total income earned through the production of goods and services in an economic territory during an accounting period.