Competition Act, 2024 commenced — Uganda's first general competition law
In brief
Uganda's Competition Act, 2024 (Act 5 of 2024) commenced on 19 April 2024, regulating anti-competitive practices, dominance and mergers.
What changed
The Competition Act, 2024 (Act 5 of 2024) — Uganda's first general competition law — was assented to on 2 February 2024 and commenced on 19 April 2024 on publication in the Gazette. It prohibits anti-competitive agreements and the abuse of a dominant position, and introduces control of mergers, acquisitions and joint ventures that affect competition. The implementing Competition Regulations were published in the Gazette in 2025.
What it affects
- Businesses entering commercial agreements, dominant firms, and parties to mergers and acquisitions — agreements and deals must now be screened for competition compliance.
- Re-flag for review: the contract-formation and breach-of-contract notes and the contracts checklists, to add a competition-compliance check, and the Draft & execute a contract toolkit.
Effective date & transition
Effective date: Commenced 19 April 2024 (assented 2 February 2024); Competition Regulations published in the Gazette in 2025.
Existing agreements and arrangements should be reviewed for compliance with the Act and the 2025 Regulations; confirm any transitional windows in the Regulations.
Primary sources
Citations
- Competition Act, 2024 (Act 5 of 2024) — assented 2 February 2024, commenced 19 April 2024.
- Competition Regulations, 2025.