KAMPALA, September 2, 2026 — The 9th Annual Bankers Conference [ABC 2026] will take place on September 18, 2026, at the Kampala Marriott Hotel under the theme, “The Role of Uganda’s Financial Institutions in Facilitating Tenfold GDP Growth.”
The conference was announced during a press briefing held on Tuesday in Kampala.
Addressing journalists about the upcoming event, Uganda Bankers Association [UBA] Chairman Michael Mugabi outlined the banking sector’s commitments towards supporting Uganda’s long-term economic growth agenda.
Mugabi said the industry has designed a response strategy aimed at mobilising long-term funding and expanding private sector credit to Shs 490 trillion by 2040, in support of the government’s ambition to grow Uganda’s economy from US$50 billion to US$ 500 billion by 2040.
However, he noted that commercial banks alone cannot meet the full capital and funding requirements needed to achieve the ambitious growth plan.
“Recognising that commercial banks alone cannot meet the full capital and funding requirements of the growth plan, the conference will also focus on leveraging capital markets and the required legal, policy and regulatory reforms needed to mobilise private domestic, regional and international patient and structured capital,” Mugabi said.
He said this approach will shape the conference’s four sub-themes.
Delegates will examine the role of Uganda’s financial and capital markets in achieving the tenfold growth strategy, patient capital for the minerals sector, including oil and gas, financing for science, technology and innovation, and de-risking investments in tourism, agro-industrialisation and export development.
“The discussions will draw on lessons from other geographies, including South Africa on mineral development, the Tiger economies on how development banks anchored their transformation, and Europe on agro-industrialisation and sustainability frameworks,” he said.
“Attention will also go to home-grown innovation and financing solutions suited to Uganda’s young and agile population.”
Mugabi said the conference will provide an opportunity for stakeholders to align ideas and resources towards unlocking the financing required to drive Uganda’s development agenda.
“By uniting our insights and aligning our capital, we can unlock the patient financing necessary to power the ATMS agenda, transform our economy, and uplift the lives of all Ugandans,” he said.
The 2026 conference coincides with a transformative moment in national policy as the
Government of Uganda rolls out its Tenfold Economic Growth Strategy under the Fourth
National Development Plan [NDP IV] framework. The strategy targets expanding Uganda’s
GDP through high-impact investments across four primary pillars: Agro-Industrialization, Tourism Development, Mineral-Based Industrial Development (including Oil and Gas), and Advancements in Science, Technology, and Innovation [ATMS].
Wilbrod Owor, Executive Director of the Uganda Bankers’ Association, added: “The Annual Bankers Conference remains the primary platform where strategic industry ideas transition into execution. In 2026, our focus is squarely on how to de-risk extension of much more credit to the key ATMS sectors, and related enabler sectors, as well as support the required machinery for attracting patient capital. Getting the financing model right for ATMS unlocks jobs, boosts export revenues, and delivers sustainable prosperity across the country.”
Highlighting the critical role of digital technology and inclusion, Shehryar Ali, Senior Vice President and Country Manager for East Africa and Indian Ocean Islands at Mastercard, title sponsor for ABC 2026, noted: “Mastercard is proud to collaborate with the Uganda Bankers’ Association and the Bank of Uganda as the title sponsor of the Annual Bankers Conference for the ninth consecutive year. This longstanding collaboration reflects our shared commitment to advancing Uganda’s financial sector and supporting the country’s economic growth. As Uganda pursues its tenfold growth ambition, secure, inclusive and scalable digital financial infrastructure will be critical. By combining innovative technology with strong industry collaboration, we can help build a more connected and resilient financial ecosystem that delivers sustainable and inclusive growth.”
Key Programme focus areas and structure
ABC 2026 will feature an opening ceremony and keynote address, followed by four dedicated
panel discussions and a closing ceremony:
1. The Role of Uganda’s Financial and Capital Markets in supporting the Tenfold GDP
Growth Strategy.
2. Patient Capital for the Minerals Sector [including oil & gas]: Moving beyond
traditional commercial loans to long-term structured finance.
3. Science, Technology & Innovation Financing: Driving Innovation-Led Growth.
4. De-risking & Financing Tourism Development, Agro-Industrialisation & Export
Development: Unlocking the brown, green and blue economy.
The conference is expected to attract a diverse mix of local and international stakeholders as
Uganda positions its financial sector as a key enabler of the country’s Tenfold Growth
Strategy.
Uganda Bankers’ Association is an umbrella organisation for financial institutions
licensed and supervised by Bank of Uganda. It was established in 1981 and is currently
made up of 34 members comprising 22 commercial banks, 3 development banks [Uganda
Development Bank, East African Development Bank and Afreximbank] and 9 Tier 2 and Tier 3 [MDIs
and MFIs].
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