Uganda is stepping up efforts to attract investment into its mining sector as government and industry players prepare to bring investors, financiers and mining companies together at the 15th Annual Mineral Wealth Conference and Expo next week.
The conference, scheduled for September 29 and 30 at Speke Resort Munyonyo, will be held under the theme, “Beneath the Surface: Unlocking Africa’s Next Mining Powerhouse,” with discussions expected to focus on critical minerals, investment, mineral processing, financing and value addition. Organised by the Uganda Chamber of Energy and Minerals (UCEM) in partnership with the Ministry of Energy and Mineral Development, the conference is expected to attract more than 1,500 delegates, 500 chief executives, 15 ministers and more than 55 exhibitors, according to organisers.
The push comes as mineral exports continue to provide a significant source of foreign exchange for Uganda. Latest government data show that Uganda’s merchandise exports rose 10.1 per cent year-on-year to $1.4 billion in July 2026. Mineral products accounted for $788.45 million, representing a 35 per cent increase from $584.18 million in July 2025.
The figures underline the growing importance of minerals to Uganda’s external trade, but the government is now seeking to capture more value domestically instead of relying mainly on extraction and exports of raw materials. Minister of State for Mineral Development Phionah Nyamutoro said Uganda has identified more than 58 categories of minerals, including gold, rare earth elements, iron ore, graphite, cobalt, copper, lithium, coltan, phosphates, limestone, marble and bauxite.
The government says these resources could support industries ranging from clean-energy technology and electric vehicles to steel, fertiliser, electronics and construction.
“Moving from exporting raw materials towards processing, beneficiation, refining, manufacturing and other downstream activities” is increasingly important if Uganda is to retain more value from its mineral resources, the Ministry of Energy and Mineral Development said ahead of the conference.
This shift could create opportunities beyond mining companies themselves.
Banks, insurers, transport companies, engineering firms, equipment suppliers, technology providers and manufacturers all form part of the wider mineral value chain. Organisers say the conference will therefore include business-to-business engagements intended to connect investors and project developers with potential partners and suppliers.
The Uganda Insurers Association said stakeholders are also calling for increased investment, stronger public-private partnerships, value addition and greater risk protection in the sector. For financiers, the expansion of the sector could create demand for capital across exploration, mine development, processing infrastructure and supporting services.
The Ministry said financial institutions participating in the conference are looking at financing businesses throughout the mineral value chain, including smaller enterprises. Standard Bank, for example, plans to draw on its experience in Uganda’s oil and gas sector to support mining businesses, while Ecobank Uganda said it intends to support financing, responsible investment, value addition and trade.
Uganda is also trying to formalise its large artisanal and small-scale mining segment, which remains an important source of livelihoods but faces challenges involving legality, safety, productivity, financing and market access.
Nyamutoro recently urged artisanal miners to comply with mining laws, saying government’s approach is to help them operate legally, safely and productively rather than simply remove them from the sector. Formalisation could also improve miners’ access to legitimate markets, technology and financing. The conference comes shortly after Uganda stepped up its international search for investment in critical minerals.
Earlier this month, Uganda used the Africa Down Under conference in Perth, Australia, to pitch its mineral potential to international investors, with officials highlighting opportunities in the country’s estimated mineral wealth and critical-minerals sector. The Mineral Wealth Conference is expected to continue that investment push at home, bringing government, investors and industry players into the same forum.
The key question for Uganda will be whether the growing interest in its mineral resources can translate into actual exploration, new mines, processing facilities, manufacturing capacity and jobs. With mineral export earnings already rising, the next stage of the sector’s growth will increasingly depend on how much of the value generated beneath Uganda’s surface can be retained and converted into businesses, industries and investment within the country.
