KCB Bank Uganda is set to participate as a Diamond Sponsor at the 15th Annual Mineral Wealth Conference 2026, where investors, financiers and industry leaders will discuss how Uganda can turn its mineral resources into greater economic and industrial value.
The conference will be held on Sept. 29 and 30 at Speke Resort Munyonyo under the theme, “Beneath the Surface: Unlocking Africa’s Next Mining Powerhouse.”
It is being organised by the Uganda Chamber of Energy and Minerals in collaboration with the Ministry of Energy and Mineral Development.
The conference will be followed by an Eastern Ugandan Excursion from Oct. 1 to 3, which will give investors direct exposure to areas of the country with mineral potential.
Uganda’s mineral sector includes more than 58 categories of minerals identified through high-resolution aeromagnetic surveys. They include rare earth elements, lithium, copper, cobalt, graphite and iron ore.
Those resources are used in sectors such as clean energy, steel, electronics and manufacturing.
For KCB Bank Uganda, the development of the sector creates opportunities for financing businesses involved in exploration, processing and related supply chains.
The bank said it plans to engage industry stakeholders on financing for equipment, working capital, processing plants and infrastructure.
Speaking at the Uganda Media Centre, Minister of State for Minerals Phiona Nyamutoro said Uganda’s mineral wealth should be used to build industries and create jobs rather than remain focused on extraction.
“Our ambition must go beyond just knowing what lies beneath our soil. We must translate our mineral potential into productive investments, employment, industrial capacity, value addition, and sustainable national wealth. For too long, mineral-producing countries in Africa have captured only a limited share of the value generated from their resources, and Uganda must pursue a different path. We are inviting investors, financiers, and technology providers who are ready to work with us not only in exploration, but in processing, refining, and manufacturing.”
She said achieving that goal would require capital, modern technology, infrastructure and partnerships focused on local value creation.
KCB Bank Uganda said its Diamond Sponsorship reflects the role financial institutions can play in providing capital for the development of the sector.
“As KCB Bank Uganda, we are really prepared and ready to support miners and key participants along this journey right from the start of their projects,” said Hirya Fred, Manager of Trade Finance at KCB Bank Uganda.
“Whether businesses are looking for asset financing, working capital, or capital to purchase and set up processing plants, those structured solutions are available. We are ready to support the sector, and we look forward to engaging directly with stakeholders at Speke Resort Munyonyo later this month.”
Fred said the bank’s trade-finance solutions are designed to address funding needs involving national contractors, regional suppliers and global project developers.
The bank also said its participation is aligned with Uganda’s industrialisation agenda, including efforts to promote local content, cross-border trade and domestic processing of critical minerals.
At the conference and during the Eastern Ugandan excursion, KCB Bank Uganda will engage industry players on financing equipment acquisition, processing technology and large-scale infrastructure projects in the extractives sector.
The bank said it will continue working with government ministries, the Uganda Chamber of Energy and Minerals and private-sector partners to expand access to trade finance and support investment in mineral processing and related industries.
