Ugandan North American Association (UNAA)

What Ugandan North American Association (UNAA) does

The Ugandan North American Association (UNAA) is a 501(c)(3) non-profit organization founded in 1988 and headquartered in Arlington, Massachusetts. It serves the Ugandan diaspora community in North America, estimated at over 120,000 individuals across the United States and Canada, acting as the largest non-political formal association of Ugandans in the region. UNAA's core offerings center on an annual convention and trade expo (now in its 38th year, scheduled for Denver in 2026), annual membership with voting rights and event discounts, group life insurance ($7.50-$387 range with a $20,000 death benefit), and a repatriation program ($115 annual dues) that assists with remains transportation to Uganda. Supplementary programs include the Trade, Investment & Technology Advancement Network (TITAN), healthcare workshops (UNAMS), immigration assistance, and event-based consular services such as National ID registration in partnership with Ugandan embassies.

The organization's technology stack is minimal: a WordPress-based website (unaaonline.org) handles membership management, convention registration, and product purchases, with no documented API, mobile applications, or proprietary platforms. UNAA generates revenue through membership dues (subscription/recurring), convention registrations and vendor fees (one-time), group insurance and repatriation program premiums (subscription/recurring), and tax-deductible donations. Pricing is modest and tiered — convention registration ranges from $180 (early bird) to $210 (standard), vendor booths from $300-$500, and event add-ons such as the Sunday Dinner Gala at $180. Distribution leverages both the website platform and physical payment points through partnerships with Postbank Uganda and Housing Finance Bank Uganda, enabling diaspora members to pay via Ugandan bank branches.

The organization is governed by a Board of Trustees (2023-2025 term, chaired by Ronnie Kabaale) and an elected Executive Committee led by President & CEO Lambert Etibot, supported by a lean staff of approximately 6 employees. UNAA maintains formal partnerships with strategic entities including the Uganda Embassy in Washington DC, the Uganda Mission to the United Nations, Makerere University, and Endiro Coffee, which collectively extend its reach across consular, academic, and commercial domains.

Name

Ugandan North American Association (UNAA)

Legal name

Ugandan North American Association Inc.

Website

https://unaaonline.org

Company type

Private

Founded year

1988

Operating status

Operating

Headcount range

1–10 employees

Short description

UNAA is a 501(c)(3) non-profit founded in 1988 serving the 120,000+ Ugandan diaspora in North America through annual conventions, membership programs, group life insurance, repatriation services, and trade and immigration forums, governed by a volunteer board with a small staff of six.

Ownership category

akta.pro rank

Headquarters

HQ city

Arlington

HQ country

United States

HQ region

North America

Offices1 record

Markets served

GTM type

B2C

Offering type

Services

Cost components

Personnel, Operations, Marketing or Sales, Others

Revenue model

1. Membership Dues: Annual membership fees provide recurring revenue and include benefits such as voting rights, discounts on convention registration, and access to members-only products and services.
2. Convention Registration & Events: Revenue from convention registrations, vendor fees, ticket sales for events like the Sunday Dinner Gala, Night on the Nile, and Youth Registration.
3. Group Life Insurance & Repatriation Program: Annual dues for group life insurance and repatriation program providing death benefits and assistance with remains transportation.
4. Donations: Tax-deductible donations accepted as a 501(c)(3) nonprofit organization.

Pricing tiers

Go-to-market motion1 record

Distribution channels4 records

Marketing channels6 records

Core offering

UNAA is a 501(c)(3) nonprofit membership association that serves Ugandans in the North American diaspora through an annual paid membership program, an annual Convention & Trade Expo, group life insurance, a repatriation program that returns remains to Uganda in the event of death, and community programs covering trade and investment, healthcare, education, and immigration assistance.

Product overview

UNAA offers a unified membership-based service portfolio centered on community support for Ugandans in North America. The core offerings include annual membership ($210 standard, $180 early bird), annual conventions (Trade Expo events in cities like Denver 2026, Washington DC 2024, Dallas 2023), group life insurance ($7.50-$387 range), and repatriation programs ($120-$250 annual dues with $20,000 death benefit). The organization also provides supplementary convention events including the Sunday Dinner Gala ($180), Youth Registration ($180), A Night On the Nile party, and Exhibitor Vendor Tables ($300-$500). Additional programs cover trade/investment forums (TITAN), healthcare workshops (UNAMS), and immigration assistance.

Differentiator

Problem solved

Functional benefit

Products and services

• UNAA Annual Membership Annual membership program that gives individuals voting rights in the association, discounts on convention and event registration, and access to members-only products such as group life insurance and the repatriation program. Annual dues are non-refundable.
• UNAA Annual Convention & Trade Expo Annual weekend gathering of Ugandans in selected North American cities featuring business networking, Trade Expo, family reunions, cultural events, and entertainment. Upcoming 38th Annual Convention is in Denver, Colorado (2026); previous conventions in Washington DC (2024), Dallas (2023), San Francisco (2022).
• UNAA Group Life Insurance

Named customers4 records

Segments3 records

Ideal customer profiles3 records

Technology focussed No

API detail

Has API

No

API docs

API detail

Core technology

AI maturity

App detail

Partnerships

Seven partnerships are on record, tiered core and minor.

• Housing Finance Bank UgandacoreChannel Partner/ Reseller/ Distributor · 23 April 2023Housing Finance Bank Uganda unveiled its partnership with UNAA allowing customers to pay for UNAA registration and subscription fees at Housing Finance Bank branches in Uganda. This partnership provides convenient payment options especially for those not near Postbank locations. The bank also offers advisory services to diaspora members.
• Endiro CoffeecoreStrategic or Co-development Partner · 1 January 2022Endiro Coffee, a franchised coffee house with headquarters in Aurora, Illinois and operations in Uganda, has been a long-time sponsor and partner of UNAA. Cody Lorrance (Omulangira Ngobi), Co-CEO, serves as Uganda's Midwest Trade Representative and has facilitated business connections including the Premill partnership with Arise Collections.
• Makerere UniversitycoreStrategic or Co-development Partner · 1 January 2022UNAA announced its partnership and collaboration with Makerere University, Uganda's oldest and most prestigious educational institution, as part of the university's centennial celebrations. The partnership aims to leverage academic excellence and build connections between the university and the diaspora community.
• Kalikumutima & Co. AdvocatesminorImplementation/ SI/ Consulting Partner · 1 January 2019Legal services partnership providing immigration consultancy, litigation services, land and property transactions, and general legal advisory to UNAA diaspora members. Services include free legal consultations and discounted legal services for members. The firm has supported UNAA since 2019.
• Uganda Embassy Washington DCcoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerUganda Embassy in Washington DC provides consular services including passport renewals, National ID registration and pickup, and visa application support. The embassy collaborates with UNAA on Ndaga Muntu drives and convention-based consular services.
• Uganda Mission to the United Nations (New York)coreStrategic or Co-development PartnerUganda Mission in New York provides consular services including National ID processing and pickup for Ugandans in the diaspora. Partners with UNAA on Ndaga Muntu registration drives at conventions.
• PACEIDminorStrategic or Co-development PartnerPACEID (Pan African Center for Economic Inclusion and Development) partnered with UNAA to facilitate the business connection between Arise Collections and Premill, supporting Uganda export enterprises.

Scale indicators4 records

Recent moves6 records

Expansion highlights5 records

Broad incumbents

• African Diaspora Network: A broader US-based non-profit engaging African diaspora communities across multiple nationalities through convenings and programs. Comparable to UNAA in diaspora-focused convening and trade engagement, but operating at a pan-African rather than single-country level.

Direct peers

• Ethiopian Community Association: US-based non-profit representing the Ethiopian diaspora with cultural programming, community events, and member services. Comparable to UNAA as an African diaspora membership organization in North America.
• Rwandan American Community Association: Non-profit serving the Rwandan diaspora in North America through cultural events, networking, and member programs. A direct peer to UNAA in the East African diaspora association space.
• Ghanaian Association of North America: A US-based non-profit membership organization serving the Ghanaian diaspora in North America, comparable to UNAA in operating annual conventions, community forums, and member benefits. Direct peer in the African diaspora association category.
• Kenya Diaspora Alliance: Organization mobilizing Kenyan professionals and diaspora members across North America with annual convenings and trade/investment facilitation. Closely analogous to UNAA's TITAN Forum and convention model.
• Eritrean American Community Association: US non-profit serving Eritrean diaspora through cultural events, youth programs, and member services. Comparable to UNAA's mix of conventions, youth registration, and life/repatriation-related programming.
• Cameroonian American Council: National membership organization for Cameroonian diaspora in the United States, running community events and advocacy initiatives. Functionally analogous to UNAA's community and civic engagement mandate.
• Tanzanian American Association: Diaspora association for Tanzanians in the United States, focused on community engagement, cultural preservation, and member programming. Closely parallel to UNAA's mission and operational model.
• Nigerian American Public Affairs Committee: Community and advocacy organization for the Nigerian diaspora in the United States, analogous to UNAA in mobilizing a national-origin diaspora through events, civic engagement, and member services. Directly comparable member-driven diaspora model.

Emerging players

• African Communities Together: US-based non-profit mobilizing African immigrant communities for civic engagement, advocacy, and member services. Comparable to UNAA in targeting the broader African diaspora in North America through member-driven programs and convenings.

Market position

Strengths4 records

Weaknesses5 records

Competitive moat4 records

Key risks5 records

Key highlights6 records

Customer concentration

• Xx.com/unaaorg
• YouTubeyoutube.com/@unaaonline
• Facebookfacebook.com/UNAA01
• Instagraminstagram.com/unaaorg
• LinkedInlinkedin.com/company/ugandan-north-american-association-inc-unaa-

Revenue estimate

Valuation estimate

Number of profiles

Profiles8 records

Funding overview

Funding rounds

Investors

Funding detail is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →

M&A

Investments

M&A and investment is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →

Frequently asked questions about Ugandan North American Association (UNAA)