Hoima City Banks on Oil, AFCON Stadium, and University for Growth

Hoima City is charting a course for significant growth, leveraging key developments five years after being granted city status in July 2020. The city’s emergence as a fast-growing regional hub is being shaped by its pivotal role in Uganda’s burgeoning oil industry, substantial sports infrastructure investments, and a push to broaden higher education access.

Central to this transformation is the impressive Hoima City Stadium, located in Kyarwiru Cell. This state-of-the-art facility, funded entirely by Uganda’s Petroleum Fund, has been built to international FIFA and CAF standards. It boasts a 20,000-seater main arena, a 2,000-seat secondary arena, a semi-Olympic swimming pool, and other indoor amenities. Constructed by Turkish firm SUMMA, the stadium is a key venue selected to host matches during the 2027 Africa Cup of Nations, which Uganda will co-host with Kenya and Tanzania.

Hoima’s Member of Parliament for the Woman constituency, Nyakato Asinasi, expressed readiness to welcome continental visitors for the tournament and highlighted the city’s increasing importance in the petroleum economy. The launch of Uganda’s first commercial crude oil, ‘Pearl Sweet,’ extracted in the Hoima region, further cements the city’s status.

Beyond sports and oil, Nyakato is championing the establishment of Hoima University. This initiative aims to provide local students with easier access to higher education, reducing the need to travel to Kampala. However, discussions at the Ministry of Education suggest a potential focus on science courses, a proposal Nyakato believes could disadvantage students pursuing arts.

Regarding the impact of oil-related projects, Nyakato noted that most residents displaced by the East African Crude Oil Pipeline (EACOP) have been compensated. She has called for additional support, such as a modern market for affected traders, to help cushion communities impacted by the city’s rapid development.

Since becoming a city in July 2020, Hoima, alongside investments in the Kabalega International Airport and related road networks, is increasingly recognized as a vital economic center in western Uganda.