President Yoweri Kaguta Museveni today officially commissioned the Wagagai Gold Mining Project in Busia District, marking a major milestone in Uganda’s journey towards value addition and mineral beneficiation.
The President emphasized his government’s firm stance against the export of unprocessed minerals, noting that doing so undermines the nation’s economic potential. “Under my leadership, Uganda will not export raw minerals. They must be processed locally to create wealth and jobs for our people,” he stated.
The Wagagai project is expected to achieve 99.9% gold purity through local refining, positioning Uganda as a key player in the regional mineral value chain. Once fully operational, the project will create more than 5,000 direct jobs and generate an estimated USD 100 million annually for at least 21 years.
President Museveni further urged other mining companies to embrace local processing, highlighting the broader opportunities in Uganda’s natural resources—including gold, lithium, iron, and tea—as drivers of industrialisation and socio-economic transformation.
“I congratulate Wagagai on this achievement. By maximising our resources through value addition, we are building a stronger, more sustainable future for Uganda,” he concluded.