Uganda is set to host a landmark gathering that will redefine Africa’s development finance landscape.
The Uganda Development Bank (UDB), in partnership with the Ministry of Finance, Planning and Economic Development on Thursday, July 24th, 2025, officially launched the Uganda Development Finance Summit, scheduled for September 1st to 2nd, 2025, at the Speke Resort Convention Centre.
Under the theme “Transforming Africa through National Development Finance Architecture,” this will be the first-of-its-kind event exclusively focused on advancing national development finance across the continent.
The Summit will convene over 400 participants from Africa and around the world, bringing together leading development finance institutions, policymakers, financiers, and thought leaders.
It aims to address these challenges by promoting dialogue, spotlighting innovative financing solutions, and forging strong partnerships across both public and private sectors to support Africa’s transformation journey.
“As Uganda’s national Development Finance Institution (DFI), we are proud to champion this transformative platform for dialogue, ideas, and action, shaping the future of Africa’s development finance landscape,” stated Dr. Patricia Ojangole, Managing Director of UDB, during a press briefing in Kampala.
“Hosting this Summit underscores Uganda Development Bank’s commitment to catalysing the development finance agenda on the African continent,” she added.
According to Dr. Ojangole, the Summit is designed as a dynamic platform for critical dialogue, knowledge sharing, and partnership building. It will specifically address challenges and opportunities related to inclusive growth, financing sustainable projects, and strengthening the unique roles of national development banks across Africa.
Uganda’s Economic Resilience as a Foundation
Uganda provides a compelling ground for this continental initiative, showcasing notable economic resilience.
Dr. Ojangole highlighted that Uganda’s real GDP growth reached 6% in FY 2023/24, with projections of 6.2% for FY 2024/25.
However, forecasts from the World Bank suggest this growth could surge to 10.8% by FY 2026 with the commencement of oil production, driven by strong export performance, robust industrial activity, and a thriving services sector.
This growth trajectory, Dr. Ojangole noted, underscores Uganda’s potential and its commitment to sustainable development.
Charting Solutions for Africa’s Future
The Development Finance Summit is crafted to advance solutions that reflect African realities, championing an authentic, forward-looking development narrative hinged on innovation, inclusivity, and sustainability.
Dr. Ojangole noted that the key objectives of the summit include:
Exchanging Best Practices
Fostering meaningful dialogue on how National Development Banks can serve as powerful engines of socio-economic transformation.
Strengthening Partnerships
Accelerating financing for Uganda and Africa’s most pressing development needs by building stronger collaborations between public and private sector actors.
Generating Policy Recommendations
Developing actionable policies to support inclusive, climate-resilient, and innovation-led growth.
Unlocking New Financing Models
Exploring new and blended financing mechanisms to unlock capital for critical sectors such as Small and Medium Enterprises (SMEs), infrastructure, green energy, and industrialisation.
The inaugural Uganda Development Finance Summit represents a pivotal moment for the continent.
By convening key stakeholders, UDB is setting the stage for a collaborative effort to mobilise capital, share expertise, and forge partnerships that will drive sustainable development and unlock the vast economic potential of Uganda and Africa as a whole.