President Museveni has used the ongoing Africa We Build Summit 2026 in Nairobi to push for a shift toward value addition in Africa’s resource sector.
Museveni said the continent must move away from exporting raw materials and instead build industries that retain wealth, create jobs, and drive long-term economic growth.
The summit, hosted by the Africa Finance Corporation in partnership with the Government of Kenya, has brought together heads of state, investors, and policymakers under the theme “Infrastructure as the Engine of Industrialisation.”
In his keynote address, Museveni defended Uganda’s decision to ban exports of unprocessed minerals such as tin and copper, describing it as a deliberate strategy to promote industrialisation.
Since 2015, Uganda has enforced restrictions on the export of raw minerals, directing the Ministry of Energy and Mineral Development to withhold export permits for unprocessed materials.
The policy is intended to encourage domestic processing, create jobs, and ensure the country derives greater value from its natural resources.
At the summit, Museveni argued that exporting raw materials deprives countries of employment opportunities and long-term economic gains.
His message was echoed by Aliko Dangote, who praised Uganda’s stance, saying such policies would compel investors to establish processing plants within Africa rather than export raw materials.
“What he told you, in Uganda I have banned the export of unprocessed minerals. All of them… No export of tin, no export of copper,” Museveni said.
He warned that Africa’s current economic model benefits external processors while leaving producing countries with minimal returns.
“The iron ore of Uganda is among the best in the world… when you sell iron ore, somebody else makes steel and earns far more, while you export all the jobs,” he said.
Museveni linked this approach to lessons from Uganda’s oil sector, noting that disagreements over local refining delayed production but ultimately reinforced the importance of domestic value addition.
Uganda is now prioritising refinery development as part of its broader industrial strategy, with the President insisting that local processing of petroleum resources is both viable and essential for economic transformation.
The summit, running from April 23 to 24, 2026, aims to advance bankable infrastructure projects, strengthen regional integration, and accelerate Africa’s industrial development.
