Uganda Commissions First-Ever NEC-STREIT Armoured Vehicle Showroom in Wakiso
Wakiso District, Uganda | April 23, 2025
In a landmark move toward bolstering national defence capabilities and industrial self-reliance, the Minister of State for Defence and Veteran Affairs (Veteran Affairs), Hon. Huda Oleru Abason, today officially commissioned the NEC-STREIT Armoured Vehicle Showroom in Abayita Ababiri, Wakiso District. She officiated the event on behalf of the Minister of Defence and Veteran Affairs, Hon. Jacob Oboth Oboth.
The newly launched facility is the first of its kind in Uganda and East Africa, developed under a joint venture between Uganda’s National Enterprise Corporation (NEC) and the globally renowned Streit Group. The showroom serves as a modern hub to display and market a wide range of armoured vehicles manufactured at the NEC-STREIT Assembly Plant in Nakasongola.
A Strategic Milestone for Uganda’s Security and Industry
Hon. Huda Oleru hailed the initiative as a significant step forward for Uganda’s security sector and industrialisation goals. “This showroom is not only for the army and the police. It is for researchers, financial institutions transporting cash, humanitarian workers operating in insecure areas, and other sectors whose operations require secure mobility,” she said.
She emphasized the showroom’s alignment with Uganda’s Buy Uganda Build Uganda (BUBU) policy and the broader government agenda of local capacity development, technology transfer, and skills enhancement.
Hon. Huda also relayed the Ministry’s continued commitment to supporting projects that transform Uganda into a regional powerhouse for defence innovation. “The NEC-STREIT partnership underscores the strength of strategic collaboration in safeguarding our sovereignty and stimulating industrial growth,” she added.
Innovation Meets Accessibility
Speaking at the event, Lt Gen. James Mugira, Managing Director of NEC, described the showroom as a vital bridge between production and customer engagement.
“This facility is part of our forward-looking marketing strategy. It provides security clients with an opportunity to inspect, interact with, and test our products before procurement,” Gen. Mugira stated.
He outlined the types of armoured vehicles currently produced at the Nakasongola plant, including:
MRAPs (Mine-Resistant Ambush-Protected vehicles)
Armoured ambulances
Cash-in-transit vans
Riot control vehicles
Border security transport units
Gen. Mugira also highlighted the partnership’s human capital achievements, noting that over 100 Ugandans have been trained in advanced armoured vehicle manufacturing techniques through NEC-STREIT’s workforce development programmes.
Global Expertise, Local Execution
Mr. Guerman Goutorov, Chairman and CEO of Streit Group, expressed pride in the collaboration with Uganda. “Our partnership with NEC is not only about vehicle manufacturing—it’s about building local capacity, transferring global expertise, and investing in Africa’s security future,” he remarked.
He also revealed plans to explore new frontiers in defence technology through the introduction of aerial surveillance tools and drone-based security solutions—further enhancing Uganda’s defence infrastructure.
A Moment of National Pride
The ceremony was attended by top security and government officials including Maj Gen Apollo Kasita Gowa, Director of Citizenship and Immigration Control (DCIC); Lt Gen Charles Okidi, Commander of the Air Force Base; Maj Gen Jack Bakasumba, Chief of Joint Staff; senior representatives from the Uganda Police Force, Uganda Prisons Service, and Bank of Uganda; along with influential private sector leaders such as Dr. Sudhir Ruparelia.
Launched in 2019 and with its first assembly plant commissioned in 2022, NEC-STREIT has swiftly positioned itself as one of Africa’s few advanced armoured vehicle manufacturers. The addition of the Wakiso showroom provides clients from both public and private sectors with direct access to cutting-edge armoured solutions tailored to Uganda’s unique operational environments.
About NEC-STREIT
NEC-STREIT is a public-private joint venture between Uganda’s National Enterprise Corporation—the commercial arm of the Uganda People’s Defence Forces—and Streit Group, a UAE-based global leader in armoured vehicle production. The joint venture specializes in the design, assembly, and supply of high-performance armoured vehicles and security solutions. All vehicles are locally assembled by skilled Ugandan engineers with international technical support.
With this new showroom, Uganda signals its readiness not only to meet its own security needs, but also to serve as a regional hub for defence manufacturing and innovation.
