Free Access | September 2026

The Business Case For Labour Inspection In Uganda: A case of cocoa, coffee, and hospitality subsectors in the Albertine and Rwenzori subregions

Authors/Editors: Economic Policy Research Centre

Abstract:

Labour inspection has been left at odds with increasing globalisation and digitalisation of work. This study aimed to evaluate the current state and conditions of labour inspection in Uganda, highlighting its challenges and stressing the need for greater support to this function. Using administrative data and primary case studies from the agriculture (cocoa and coffee) and tourism (hospitality) sectors in the Albertine and Rwenzori subregions, key insights reveal that widespread informal employment in Uganda makes labour inspection challenging due to inadequate staffing and funding. As a result, labour inspection coverage remains limited, with fewer than half of workplaces inspected over the past two years. Uganda’s labour inspection gap grew from 229 inspectors in 2021 to 234 inspectors in 2023/24. The tourism-hospitality (Transport and accommodation, recreation) subsectors in 2021 required at least 25 labour inspectors. By 2023/24, agriculture required 125 inspectors. With 10.2 million employed persons in 2023/24, the inspector-to-worker ratio is 1:486,421, meaning one inspector for every 486,421 workers- well above the ILO recommended ratio of 1:40,000. This disparity affects both the quantity and quality of inspections, thereby influencing their effectiveness in promoting decent work. From our case studies, unlike the tourism (hospitality) subsector, agriculture—particularly at the production level, as seen in cocoa and coffee—is the least sector to receive labour inspection and also the least aware of such services. Many labour officers lack the necessary equipment to carry out their duties.