mining 17 August 2026 Daily Monitor (Uganda)
Uganda Aims to Formalize 500,000 Artisanal Miners for Revenue Growth
The Ugandan government is launching initiatives to bring its estimated 500,000 artisanal miners into the formal economy, aiming to boost revenue and improve traceability in the mining sector. Key efforts include direct gold purchases by the Bank of Uganda and grants to support mining cooperatives. Source: https://www.monitor.co.ug/uganda/news/national/govt-bets-on-formalising-500-000-artisanal-miners-to-unlock-revenue-5561222
Uganda is implementing a comprehensive strategy to formalize its large artisanal and small-scale mining (ASM) sector, which comprises an estimated 500,000 individuals. This initiative aims to unlock significant revenue streams for the nation by bringing mining activities out of the informal economy and into a regulated framework.
A cornerstone of this strategy is the Bank of Uganda’s recent launch of a national gold purchasing program. By buying gold directly from artisanal miners and licensed cooperatives at competitive prices, the central bank seeks to incentivize legal operations, increase official gold reserves, and meet the growing international demand for traceable gold.
Complementing the central bank’s efforts, the Uganda Chamber of Energy and Minerals, in partnership with GIZ Uganda and the Ministry of Energy and Mineral Development, is running the Shs800 million TENT Grant Initiative. This program focuses on organizing miners into at least 20 artisanal mining cooperatives by October 2026, enhancing their access to markets, technical expertise, and financial resources. Cooperative membership is intended to empower miners to collectively bargain and secure better prices, moving away from reliance on middlemen.
Uganda is also looking to diversify its focus beyond gold, identifying graphite and rare earth minerals as priorities for investment. The formalization agenda emphasizes adding local value to these resources before export. The overarching goal is not to shut down artisanal operations but to equip them with better organization, adherence to standards, and stronger market linkages.
These efforts will be showcased at the African Mining Week 2026 in Cape Town, where the Chief Executive Officer of the Uganda Chamber of Energy and Minerals, Humphrey Asiimwe, will present Uganda’s formalization agenda. The discussions will highlight the potential for formalizing the ASM sector, which accounts for over 20 percent of global gold and critical minerals production and supports millions of livelihoods across sub-Saharan Africa. The success of Uganda’s integrated approach—combining central bank purchasing, cooperative development, and policy advocacy—will be closely watched as a model for other African nations facing similar challenges.
Source: Daily Monitor