Kampala, Uganda | THE INDEPENDENT | Evolve Africa has released the inaugural State of Marketing Uganda Report 2025, providing the first data-driven assessment of the country’s marketing and advertising industry.
The report was launched during the fifth anniversary of the Uganda Marketing Excellence Awards (UMEAS) and comes at a time when businesses are reassessing marketing strategies amid economic pressures. According to the findings, Uganda’s advertising sector has shown resilience and continued growth despite wider macroeconomic challenges.
The study covers a wide range of sectors, including advertising and marketing, food and beverage, consumer services, software, communication services, manufacturing, education, energy, financial services, insurance, information technology, media and entertainment, retail trade, as well as travel and hospitality. The breadth of coverage offers a comprehensive picture of how marketing practices are evolving across the economy.
Among the key findings, the report notes that companies that invest early in analytics, attribution models and return-on-investment frameworks are likely to gain a competitive edge. It also identifies social commerce, mobile money integration and micro-influencer marketing as emerging growth areas.
However, the report highlights persistent underinvestment in digital marketing. More than half of surveyed businesses 55.3% allocate only 5% of their marketing budgets to digital channels, despite increasing consumer migration to online platforms. The study further points out that effective marketing in Uganda requires adaptation to stark differences between urban and rural markets.
The report highlights the importance of audience segmentation, particularly given Uganda’s youthful demographic profile, with more than half of the population under the age of 20. While urban areas such as Kampala show high levels of digital connectivity, rural communities remain less connected, necessitating localized content and channel strategies.
On the digital front, WhatsApp remains Uganda’s most widely used social media platform, followed by TikTok and YouTube. The report also identifies a gender gap in digital participation, with men accounting for 62% of social media users compared to 38% women, prompting calls for more inclusive digital engagement strategies.
Based on its findings, the report recommends that brands increase investment in digital, social and mobile platforms, particularly when targeting younger and urban consumers. At the same time, it cautions against abandoning traditional media entirely, instead advocating for a balanced and localized media mix.
“Uganda’s marketing industry is entering a transformative era, and this report provides the data and insights needed for brands to thrive in an AI-first business environment while ensuring inclusivity and relevance across Uganda’s diverse markets.” said Paul Businge the Business Development Director at Evolve Group Africa.
The State of Marketing Uganda Report 2025 is available on www.evolvegroupafrica.com.
The report was developed in collaboration with Reel Analytics Uganda, Datamine Business School (an accredited CIM study centre), Uganda Digital Society, Radiocity97FM, Matooke Republic and New Vision.