FORT PORTAL, UGANDA — In the sand yards and roadside stalls of Fort Portal City, university degrees are no longer a guarantee of employment. Instead, many graduates are joining the informal sector, competing for survival jobs once dominated by school dropouts.
Across the city, young men and women who spent years in lecture halls are now selling food by the roadside, loading sand onto trucks, riding boda bodas, or working as casual labourers. Their academic certificates, once symbols of hope and progress, now sit unused in drawers at home.
Growing Youth Unemployment
Uganda continues to face a serious youth unemployment crisis. According to official data, youth unemployment stands at about 16.1 percent, but experts say the real number may be higher, especially among recent graduates.
The National Planning Authority estimates that Uganda needs to create at least one million jobs every year to match the growing number of young people entering the labour market. However, the economy has not been able to absorb them fast enough.
As a result, many graduates spend months — or even years — searching for formal employment without success. Some eventually give up and turn to small-scale trading, manual labour, or temporary work to survive.
Informal Sector Becomes the Safety Net
In Fort Portal and other towns, the informal sector has become the main source of income for many educated youth. From selling roasted maize to operating small mobile money kiosks, graduates are doing whatever they can to earn daily income.
While these jobs provide short-term relief, they often offer low pay, no job security, and no benefits such as health insurance or pensions.
Some graduates say they feel frustrated and disappointed after investing heavily in education, only to struggle to find stable work. Others say they have accepted the situation and are focusing on entrepreneurship instead of waiting for government jobs.
Government Efforts and Challenges
The government has introduced programmes aimed at reducing youth unemployment, including promoting digital skills, setting up ICT hubs, and supporting small businesses. However, critics argue that these initiatives are not enough to address the scale of the problem.
Uganda’s population is young and growing rapidly, which increases pressure on the job market every year. Without significant investment in industries, manufacturing, and innovation, experts warn that graduate unemployment could worsen.
A Generation in Transition
For many young Ugandans, the reality is clear: education alone is no longer enough to guarantee employment. The dream of office jobs and steady salaries has given way to survival strategies in markets, streets, and construction sites.
Despite the challenges, some graduates say they remain hopeful that with experience, innovation, and policy reforms, opportunities will eventually improve.
For now, however, in places like Fort Portal, degrees are being folded away — while survival takes centre stage.
