The government has registered 9,187 artisanal miners across the country as part of efforts to formalise Uganda’s artisanal mining sector and bring operators into the regulated system.
Minister of State for Mineral Development, Hon. Phiona Nyamutoro, said the ministry has also gazetted 39 areas for artisanal mining and issued three artisanal mining licences.
Nyamutoro made the remarks yesterday while closing the 15th Annual Mineral Wealth Conference at Speke Resort Munyonyo in Kampala.
She said the ministry had established an online biometric registration system for artisanal miners as part of efforts to improve the management and formalisation of the sector.
“On artisanal mining, the ministry has established an online biometric registration of artisanal miners and so far 9,187 artisanal miners have been registered country-wide,” Nyamutoro said.
She said 39 areas had been gazetted for artisanal miners, while three artisanal mining licences had so far been issued.
Nyamutoro added that 15 small-scale mining licences had also been issued after a number of artisanal miners upgraded their operations to small-scale mining.
“We have noted that most artisanal miners have upgraded to small-scale mining and accordingly 15 small-scale licences have been issued to that effect,” she said.
However, the minister said artisanal miners continue to face challenges that hinder the formalisation and development of the sector.
These include the high cost of environmental assessments, persistent land conflicts and weak extension services.
“We also take note of addressing the challenges that are facing artisanal mining and those include the costly environmental assessments, the continuous land conflicts and the weak extension services holding back the people that are involved in artisanal mining,” Nyamutoro said.
She said government would review the requirements and environmental assessment costs that keep artisanal miners outside the formal system.
The ministry also plans to support common-user processing facilities to help artisanal miners improve their operations and participate more effectively in the mineral value chain.
Maria Kiwanuka, chairperson of the Uganda National Mining Company (UNMC), said the company would establish organised mineral trading arrangements aimed at improving transparency, traceability, pricing and market access, particularly for minerals produced by artisanal and small-scale miners.
“Our organised mineral trading system can improve transparency, traceability, pricing and market access, particularly for minerals produced by artisanal and small-scale miners,” Kiwanuka said.
She said the company was working towards structured mineral trading arrangements supported by appropriate assay, transparent pricing mechanisms, responsible sourcing standards and digital traceability.
Kiwanuka said the arrangements would create credible commercial channels through which minerals produced in Uganda can reach legitimate domestic and international markets while producers receive transparent and competitive prices.
Nyamutoro said the government is also working to make licensing more transparent and to review existing licences to create room for credible investment in the mining sector.
She disclosed that the ministry is considering establishing a stand-alone mineral regulator, with the proposal expected to be presented to Cabinet.
Nyamutoro said government would also digitise geological, licensing and operational data and strengthen analytical laboratories to address concerns raised by miners and investors.
The minister said mining currently contributes about 2.2 per cent to Uganda’s GDP, while the National Development Plan IV targets increasing the sector’s contribution to 7.9 per cent by 2029/30.
She said formalising artisanal mining is part of the broader effort to expand the sector’s contribution to the economy and ensure more Ugandans benefit from the country’s mineral resources.
The 15th Annual Mineral Wealth Conference brought together 1,112 delegates from 30 countries, 81 exhibitors and 96 speakers to discuss the development of Uganda’s mining sector.
