The two institutions sealed the deal on Friday, August 7, 2026, at Statistics House in Kampala, signing a Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) to kick-start the massive exercise. The ceremony was presided over by UBOS Executive Director Dr. Chris Mukiza, while the NBRB delegation was led by its Executive Secretary, Eng. Flavia Gutto Bwire.
By Evans Najuna
KAMPALA: Uganda’s buildings are heading for the data microscope! The Uganda Bureau of Statistics (UBOS) and the National Building Review Board (NBRB) have teamed up to launch the country’s first-ever Baseline Survey of Buildings, an ambitious exercise expected to uncover the true state of Uganda’s building stock.
The two institutions sealed the deal on Friday, August 7, 2026, at Statistics House in Kampala, signing a Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) to kick-start the massive exercise. The ceremony was presided over by UBOS Executive Director Dr. Chris Mukiza, while the NBRB delegation was led by its Executive Secretary, Eng. Flavia Gutto Bwire.
The survey will put buildings across the country under scrutiny, with officials set to collect information on structural conditions, ownership, occupancy, building characteristic, regulatory compliance and their geographical distribution.
In simple terms, Uganda wants to know what buildings it has, where they are, who owns them, who occupies them and whether they are playing by the rules. The exercise is expected to establish a comprehensive national inventory of buildings and provide Government with a clearer picture of the country’s rapidly expanding building sector.
The survey could also become a major tool in the fight against unsafe construction as it will generate data that can be used to monitor building standards and identify areas requiring urgent intervention. The findings will support infrastructure planning, construction regulation, disaster risk reduction, public safety and evidence-based policy formulation.
Speaking at the signing ceremony, Dr. Mukiza said reliable statistics remain critical to national development planning, stressing that strategic partnerships such as the UBOS-NBRB deal can strengthen Uganda’s National Statistical System. He said credible data would ensure that Government and other stakeholders make decisions based on evidence rather than guesswork.
The two institutions have also agreed to establish a Joint Technical Committee to oversee the survey from the drawing board to the final results. The committee will supervise survey methodology, questionnaire development, pilot testing, field operations, data processing, validation and dissemination.
UBOS will provide technical leadership in survey design, statistical methodology, quality assurance, data processing, analysis and dissemination of the findings. NBRB will coordinate implementation, mobilise resources and provide technical expertise in building inspection, construction standards and regulatory compliance.
The survey is expected to arm Government, investors, development partners and other stakeholders with accurate and timely information on Uganda’s building stock.
Officials believe the data will help improve regulation of the construction industry, strengthen building safety, support sustainable urban development and improve disaster preparedness.
With Uganda’s towns and cities expanding at a rapid pace, the exercise is expected to answer some of the sector’s biggest questions: How many buildings are there? Where are they? Who owns them? Who occupies them? What condition are they in? And are they compliant with building standards? The answers could provide Government with a powerful new database for planning Uganda’s future cities and communities.
