Uganda Aims to Ramp Up Exports Through New Large-Scale Gold Mine

Uganda has opened its first major gold mine, a $250 million Chinese-owned project in Busia district, aiming to refine gold to 99.9% purity.

The new Wagagai mine, operational now, will process 5,000 tonnes of ore daily, producing 1.2 tonnes of refined gold annually—far surpassing 2023’s domestic output of just 0.0042 tonnes.

While Uganda’s gold exports totaled $3.4 billion last year, the country trails continental leader Ghana, which reported $11.6 billion in gold exports during the same period.

Uganda’s future in mining hinges on “full value addition for all minerals like gold, lithium, tin among others,” President Yoweri Museveni said.