KCB Bank Partners with Government to Position Uganda as Africa’s Next Mining Powerhouse

What the report says

KCB Bank Uganda says it is backing Uganda’s mining and industrialization agenda by taking on a Diamond Sponsor role at the 15th Annual Mineral Wealth Conference 2026. According to Watchdog Uganda, the conference is scheduled for 29–30 September at Speke Resort Munyonyo in Kampala and is being organized by the Uganda Chamber of Energy and Minerals with the Ministry of Energy and Mineral Development.

The event is expected to draw investors, regulators, financiers and private sector leaders around the theme of unlocking Africa’s next mining powerhouse. The publisher reported that the conference will be followed by an excursion in eastern Uganda from 1–3 October, intended to give investors a closer look at the country’s geological potential.

At the Uganda Media Centre, Minister of State for Minerals Phiona Nyamutoro said Uganda wants to move beyond identifying mineral deposits and instead build value through processing, refining, manufacturing and jobs. She said that reaching that goal will require capital, technology, infrastructure and partners committed to local value creation.

KCB Bank’s trade finance manager, Hirya Fred, said the bank is prepared to support miners and related businesses with asset finance, working capital and funding for processing plants. The bank says its role is aimed at helping local firms join higher-value supply chains and support the wider shift toward domestic processing of critical minerals. In general, such partnerships reflect a broader trend across Africa as governments seek to use mining to drive industrial growth rather than raw extraction alone.