Passenger and cargo traffic at Entebbe International Airport declined significantly in the first quarter of 2026, despite an increase in aircraft movements within Uganda’s airspace.

The figures were revealed by Fred Bamwesigye while addressing the media at the Uganda Media Centre on Friday morning.

According to data from the Uganda Civil Aviation Authority, international arrivals dropped by 7.9 percent to 239,850 passengers, while departures fell by 8.5 percent to 265,941 between January and March 2026, compared to the same period in 2025.

Cargo traffic recorded even steeper declines, with exports falling by 28.9 percent to 7,490 metric tonnes, while imports declined by 9 percent to 4,490 metric tonnes.

March registered the sharpest drop, with cargo exports plunging by 45.2 percent and imports decreasing by 30.3 percent compared to March 2025.

Despite the decline in passenger and cargo volumes, transit passenger numbers increased by 25.2 percent to 28,035, while aircraft movements rose by 7.7 percent to 8,420, indicating sustained interest in Uganda’s airspace.

Bamwesigye noted that April showed signs of slight recovery, with international passenger traffic rising to 189,130, an increase of nearly 5,000 passengers compared to April 2025.

However, he added that cargo volumes continued to decline, with only 4,823 metric tonnes recorded in April this year, down from 6,098 metric tonnes during the same period last year.

End