16 sept 2026
KAMPALA: Uganda is seeking to attract investment in mineral processing, refining, manufacturing, and other value-addition activities as it prepares to host the 15th Annual Mineral Wealth Conference and Expo from September 29–30, 2026, at Speke Resort Munyonyo.
Minister of State for Energy and Mineral Development Phiona Nyamutoro said the country must move beyond exporting raw minerals and focus on industrial development, job creation, and sustainable wealth generation.
The conference, held under the theme “Beneath the Surface: Unlocking Africa’s Next Mining Powerhouse,” will bring together government officials, investors, mining companies, financial institutions, and technology providers to explore opportunities across Uganda’s mineral value chain.
Nyamutoro said Uganda has more than 58 categories of identified minerals, including gold, rare earth elements, iron ore, copper, lithium, cobalt, graphite, and the three Ts—tin, tantalum, and tungsten.
She called for investment in technology, skills, infrastructure, financing, and geological knowledge to support a competitive and responsible mining industry. She also advocated for the formalization of artisanal and small-scale mining to enable miners to operate legally, safely, and access legitimate markets and financing.
The Uganda Chamber of Energy and Minerals, representing approximately 150 entities, highlighted regulatory predictability, local participation, industrialization, and mineral value addition as key priorities. Its representative, Asaba Agre, urged the government to establish policies that support long-term investment decisions and strengthen local processing capacity.
Ecobank, the conference’s lead financial partner, pledged to support Uganda’s mineral sector through financing, trade facilitation, and its pan-African network.
Ms Grace Maliisa vice Chairperson and Bankers Association said mining investment should extend beyond extraction to include transporters, manufacturers, contractors, engineers, and technology providers.
The conference will feature a dealers’ room for investors and project developers, with opportunities in mineral exploration, mine development, processing, refining, manufacturing, equipment, infrastructure, and logistics.
An Eastern Uganda excursion scheduled for October 1–3 will showcase the region’s mineral potential and investment opportunities. Organizers expect the conference to strengthen partnerships aimed at translating Uganda’s mineral resources into industrial growth, employment, and economic transformation.
