Uganda must accelerate investment in mineral processing and local manufacturing if it is to realise the full economic value of its vast mineral resources, industry leaders have said.
The call was made during the Uganda Catalyst Summit 2026, where policymakers, industry players and investors argued that exporting raw minerals continues to deny the country jobs, industrial growth and higher export earnings.
Speaking during a panel discussion on “The African Model for Value Addition and Local Content in Mineral Economies,” the Head of Operations at the Uganda Chamber of Energy and Minerals (UCEM), Daphine Nimusiima, said Uganda’s mineral wealth should serve as a catalyst for industrialisation rather than remain a source of raw commodity exports.
She said countries that process minerals before export consistently generate greater economic returns than those that rely on exporting unprocessed resources.
“Value addition is no longer an option. It is essential if Uganda is to build a competitive industrial economy and maximise the benefits from its natural resources,” Nimusiima said.
Her remarks come at a time when Uganda is expanding exploration and development of key minerals, including gold, cobalt, tin, tungsten and rare earth elements, which are increasingly in demand globally.
According to Nimusiima, the country’s next challenge is ensuring that these resources feed domestic industries instead of leaving the country in raw form.
She argued that strengthening local content should go beyond meeting regulatory requirements and instead become a deliberate strategy for building Ugandan enterprises capable of participating across the entire mining value chain.
This, she said, would create opportunities for local companies in mineral processing, manufacturing, engineering services, logistics, equipment supply and other specialised services that support the extractive industry.
“Local content should not simply be viewed as compliance. It is a strategy for developing domestic industries, creating jobs and strengthening Uganda’s productive capacity,” she said.
Industry stakeholders at the summit noted that increasing local participation would have ripple effects across the wider economy by supporting entrepreneurship, improving skills development and strengthening industrial supply chains.
They argued that building industries around Uganda’s mineral resources would enable the country to retain more wealth domestically while reducing dependence on raw commodity exports.
The discussions reflected a growing trend across Africa, where mineral-producing countries are increasingly investing in domestic beneficiation, processing plants and manufacturing industries as part of broader industrialisation strategies.
Experts at the summit observed that countries capable of processing their minerals locally are better positioned to diversify exports, attract manufacturing investment and improve resilience against fluctuations in global commodity prices.
For Uganda, participants said, the opportunity lies in using its expanding mineral sector to stimulate downstream industries that produce higher-value products for regional and international markets.
They added that increased mineral value addition could significantly boost government revenues, create skilled employment opportunities and strengthen foreign exchange earnings.
However, participants also acknowledged that achieving these ambitions will require significant investment in infrastructure, technology, skills development and financing.
Reliable energy supply emerged as one of the most critical enablers of mineral processing and industrial manufacturing.
Industry leaders noted that energy-intensive activities such as smelting, refining and mineral beneficiation cannot be sustained without affordable and dependable electricity.
The relationship between minerals and energy is expected to feature prominently during the 2nd Annual Energy Convention, scheduled for July 24, 2026, at Four Points by Sheraton Kampala under the theme, “Ground Up: Powering Uganda’s Tenfold Growth Through Integrated Energy Transformation.”
The convention will bring together policymakers, investors, development partners and industry leaders to explore strategies for expanding energy access, improving grid reliability and supporting Uganda’s industrial transformation agenda.
The Uganda Catalyst Summit concluded that the country’s long-term economic success will depend less on the volume of minerals extracted and more on its ability to process, manufacture and create value from those resources within its borders.
Participants said transforming Uganda from a raw mineral exporter into a producer of finished and semi-finished mineral products would strengthen industrial competitiveness, create sustainable employment and position the country to benefit more from the global demand for strategic minerals.
As competition for critical minerals continues to grow worldwide, they argued that Uganda has an opportunity to shift from an extractive economy to a value-driven industrial economy—provided investments in processing capacity, local content and supporting infrastructure keep pace with the country’s expanding mineral sector.
