The government will begin implementing the Northern Uganda Social Action Fund (NUSAF) IV in July 2025, Minister for General Duties in the Office of the Prime Minister, Justine Lumumba, has announced.
Speaking before the Committee on Presidential Affairs on April 1, 2025, Lumumba confirmed that the $276 million initiative has been incorporated into the 2025/2026 financial year budget.
“Key preparatory activities are progressing well. Negotiations for NUSAF IV have been completed,” Lumumba said.
NUSAF IV, a five-year program, will support over three million beneficiaries by providing improved inputs, investment capital, and value addition equipment. The initiative will cover West Nile, Acholi, Lango, Teso, Karamoja, Bukedi, Bunyoro, and Busoga sub-regions.
Support for Refugee-Hosting Communities
Lumumba also revealed that the Development Response to Displacement Impacts Project (DRDIP) II will be implemented in the 2025/2026 financial year. The $278 million World Bank-funded project will run for six years, targeting 3.5 million people in refugee-hosting districts.
“This time, we are going to include the refugee transit districts of Kisoro, Amuru, Kitgum, Ntoroko, Bundibugyo, and Zombo,” Lumumba said.
She urged lawmakers to remain flexible on refugee-related policies, warning that donors have informed the government they can only provide food assistance for the next three months.
“When we talk of 1.7 million people, we cannot postpone feeding them,” she cautioned.
Call for Alignment with Other Government Programs
Minister of State for Northern Uganda, Kenneth Omona, emphasized that NUSAF IV will focus on stimulating production and supporting communities.
“Government found it fitting that we have NUSAF IV. Luckily, we have been able to engage our development partners again to give us funds,” Omona said.
Adjumani District Woman MP, Jesca Ababiku, welcomed the NUSAF IV and DRDIP II rollout, calling it long overdue. She urged the government to update local governments about the programs, noting that some districts mistakenly believe DRDIP I has ended.
Adjumani East County MP, James Mamawi, asked the government to clarify how grant-aided projects like DRDIP II align with the Parish Development Model (PDM).
While NUSAF IV was initially expected to launch in 2023, its approval in the 2025/2026 budget signals the government’s commitment to addressing social protection and development across Uganda.