The Uganda Tourism Board (UTB) has announced its sponsorship of the first-ever Ugandan performance by Jamaican dancehall star Spice, as part of a broader strategy to position the country as a leading destination for Meetings, Incentives, Conferences, and Events (MICE).
The concert, organised by Africa One Ltd, is set for Saturday, May 9, 2026, at Lugogo Cricket Oval. It will headline a week-long programme of curated tourism experiences aimed at showcasing Uganda’s diverse attractions.
The initiative comes as UTB expands its MICE strategy beyond traditional conference spaces, tapping into entertainment and cultural experiences to meet evolving global travel trends.
According to the International Congress and Convention Association, Uganda is currently ranked sixth in Africa for hosting international meetings and conferences. UTB’s National MICE Strategy targets more than USD 100 million in economic returns by 2030, with large-scale events such as the Spice concert expected to play a central role.
“Today’s business and leisure travellers are looking for more than a destination they want after-hours experiences, nightlife, music, and cultural immersion. This concert speaks directly to that demand. Uganda has one of the youngest, most vibrant, and most creative populations on the continent, and a tourism strategy that does not speak to that energy has a gap in it. The Spice Concert closes that gap,” said Daniel Irunga, UTB’s Senior Brand Officer.
A key feature of the partnership is its conservation component. A portion of proceeds from the concert will support rhino conservation efforts at Ziwa Rhino Sanctuary. The sanctuary, which started with just six rhinos in 2005, is now home to 59, marking one of Africa’s notable conservation success stories.
Spice is scheduled to visit Ziwa on May 7 to participate in a rhino naming ceremony, part of a national conservation campaign previously officiated by President Yoweri Kaguta Museveni.
Her itinerary will also include visits to key cultural and heritage sites such as the Uganda Martyrs Shrine, Kasubi Tombs, the Buganda Kingdom headquarters at Bulange, and Murchison Falls National Park.
On the night of May 9, Spice will share the stage with leading Ugandan artists including Sheebah Karungi, Cindy Sanyu, Winnie Nwagi, Karole Kasita, Navio, among others—highlighting the depth of the country’s creative industry.
“We are telling the world that Uganda is a place where you can track rhinos in the morning and dance to the Queen of Dancehall at night. This is the kind of tourism partnership Uganda needs, one that entertains, educates, and protects. When Spice names a rhino at Ziwa, that story reaches every corner of the globe,” Irunga added.
For Spice, the visit carries both professional and personal significance.
“I have not just come to perform and leave. I have come to Uganda to walk through, to look a Rhino in the eye at Ziwa, to feel the spray of Murchison Falls. When I was told that proceeds from my concert would go to saving rhinos, I said yes immediately. Music with meaning is the only music worth making,” she said.
