MINING GOLD RUSH! Energy & Minerals Chamber Summons Power Brokers to Rewrite Uganda’s Mining Future
Kampala – Uganda, The Uganda Chamber of Energy and Minerals (UCEM), with support from the Deutsche Gesellschaft für Internationale Zusammenarbeit (GIZ) under the Training Equipping Nurturing to Thrive (TENT) grant Initiative implemented by GIZ under the Sustainable Development of the Mining Sector in Uganda program, and co-funded by the European Union and the German Government, today hosted the Policy Roundtable for the Mining Sector at Kabira Country Club, Kampala. The event which ran from 7:00 AM to 2:00 PM, convened senior government officials, industry leaders, development partners, policy experts, and other key stakeholders to validate research findings and shape a forward-looking policy agenda for Uganda’s mining sector.
The roundtable forms a critical part of ongoing efforts to unlock Uganda’s significant mineral potential, which encompasses gold, iron ore, tin, tungsten, tantalum, graphite, rare earth elements, phosphates, limestone, nickel and cobalt. Uganda’s mining and quarrying sector currently contributes approximately 2.2 percent of GDP, the National Development Plan (NDPIV) targets a rise to 7.9 percent by FY2029/30, alongside a substantial increase in mineral revenues and investment in value addition.
“Uganda sits on one of the most diversified mineral bases in Africa, yet the sector’s contribution to our economy remains far below its potential. Today’s roundtable was about bridging that gap. We are not here simply to discuss what could be we are here to validate what must be done, and to build the consensus that will drive implementation at the highest levels of government and industry.”
Humphrey Asiimwe, Chief Executive Officer, Uganda Chamber of Energy and Minerals.
The day’s proceedings were structured around two substantive thematic areas. The first, on Investment and the Regulatory Framework, examined the current state of Uganda’s licensing systems, institutional coordination, and the implementation of the Mining and Minerals Act, Cap 159 (2022).
Discussions centered on the persistent gaps between policy design and on-the-ground delivery, including licensing delays, environmental approval bottlenecks, and the need for binding service standards across relevant agencies.
Susan Nakanwagi, a consultant for the TENT Grant Initiative emphasized, “Uganda’s challenge is not a lack of mineral potential, but our ability to convert that wealth into sustainable projects, jobs, and industrial growth. To position ourselves in a global critical minerals market projected to exceed $770 billion by 2040, Uganda must urgently strengthen its mining governance, separate promotion from regulation, and tailor policies to different mineral value chains to turn potential into tangible economic outcomes.”
Henry Mukasa, Project Manager Sustainable Development of the Mining Sector articulated, “Uganda’s vast critical mineral wealth holds the key to both our industrialization and the global green energy transition, yet the sector currently contributes just 2.2% to GDP. By investing €1.25 million into improving governance, formalizing our crucial artisanal mining workforce, and driving domestic value addition, we are breaking down existing bottlenecks to turn Uganda into a highly competitive, responsible, and attractive destination for global mining investment. “
“Uganda’s mining sector is leaking wealth, but the solution is not cutting taxes it is closing legal loopholes and building institutional capacity. A 30 percent corporate tax rate without specialized transfer pricing auditors yields nothing, just as raw export bans without domestic smelting infrastructure yield nothing. Revenue integrity cannot simply be legislated, it must be built by sequencing our institutional readiness ahead of regulatory crackdowns,” Professor Susan Watundu, Makerere University Business School.
Reform Priorities Validated at the Roundtable
The validation workshop reviewed five reform priorities identified through structured stakeholder consultations and key informant interviews. These include the creation of a Mining Investment Delivery Unit and One-Stop Mineral Investment Window anchored at the Ministry of Energy and Mineral Development and the Directorate of Geological Survey and Mines; the completion and operationalization of the regulatory framework under the Mining and Minerals Act 2022; the launch of a National Geological Intelligence and Exploration De-risking Program; the recalibration of fiscal and value-addition incentives to make them predictable and performance-linked; and the formalization of Artisanal and Small-Scale Mining alongside the strengthening of regional mineral trade through traceability and mineral markets.
Participants engaged in open plenary discussions following each panel session, contributing validation inputs and practical recommendations that will inform the finalization of the policy paper and its submission to relevant government authorities.
About the TENT Project
Training Equipping Nurturing to Thrive (TENT), a grant initiative implemented by GIZ under the Sustainable Development of the Mining Sector in Uganda program, and co-funded by the European Union and the German Government. TENT provides technical assistance aimed at strengthening transparency, regulatory frameworks, and sustainable investment conditions across the energy and minerals value chain.
About the Uganda Chamber of Energy and Minerals
The Uganda Chamber of Energy and Minerals (UCEM) is the leading private sector membership organization representing companies operating in Uganda’s energy and minerals sectors. UCEM advocates for a competitive and transparent business environment, facilitates industry dialogue with government and development partners, and champions policies that support responsible investment and sustainable resource development.
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