BillionairesCEO PerspectivesExecutive ProfilesThe Big Story

THE SECRET BILLIONAIRE: Sanjay Awasthi, the man behind Uganda’s Tembo Steels According to Sanjay Awasthi- the Chairman and Founder of Tembo Steels Uganda Limited- there are two types of steel manufacturers in Uganda. There is a category of steel wannabes- those who import 90%-95% semi-finished steel disguised as raw materials and only add 10%-5% value and then pass that off as steel manufacturing. Then there are real steel manufacturers, who go all the way- from iron ore to liquid steel, to billets and through various forms of continuous configuration that can be made into all sorts of other steel products.

When he came to Uganda, back in 2000, Sanjay Awasthi chose the latter- and he does it with zero importation of physical steel, unlike most of his peers and competitors. That is why he proudly identifies his company as a 100% indigenous steel maker and 100% Buy Uganda, Build Uganda (BUBU). In this interview with CEO East Africa’s Muhereza Kyamutetera, he narrates the 23-year story of Tembo Steels and the making of what in his words, is “Africa’s most diversified and integrated steel company”. For starters, tell us about yourself and your background. Why did you choose Uganda of all…

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About the Author

Muhereza Kyamutetera is the Executive Editor of CEO East Africa Magazine. I am a travel enthusiast and the Experiences & Destinations Marketing Manager at EDXTravel. Extremely Ugandaholic. Ask me about #1000Reasons2ExploreUganda and how to Take Your Place In The African Sun.