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Uganda
Uganda as a gold origin
Where gold from Uganda comes from, how much is mined and exported, and what a buyer needs to document Ugandan origin.
Mined, refined or exported through Uganda
Uganda recorded about 62 tonnes of gold exports in 2025, according to UN experts citing Bank of Uganda data. Recorded mine production was about 15 kg a year in 2020/21 and 2021/22, and the ministry's figure for 2022 is about 4 kg. UN experts attribute most of the export volume to gold of other origins, largely from the Democratic Republic of Congo. For a buyer, that makes three claims distinct: gold mined in Uganda, gold refined in Uganda, and gold only exported through Uganda. A compliance team will test which one is meant.
Where gold is mined in Uganda
- Industrial mining. The Wagagai mine in Busia holds a large-scale mining lease valid from 2019 to 2040. It was commissioned in August 2025, with on-site refining to 99.9% and a capacity of about 1.2–1.5 tonnes a year (reported). Its actual output and buyers have not been published.
- Artisanal and small-scale mining. Estimated at 1.5 to 3.4 tonnes a year (US Geological Survey estimate), mostly unrecorded. Eight small-scale mining licences had been issued nationally by November 2025 (reported). Documented lots must trace to a licensed site. See gold mining in Uganda: districts and mines.
The Bank of Uganda as a domestic buyer
Since 2026 the Bank of Uganda has bought gold from licensed, prequalified Ugandan miners through contracted refineries, reportedly at the prevailing international price, with a target of 7 to 10 tonnes a year. It competes for the same documented domestic gold that international buyers want.
What documented Ugandan origin requires
- A mineral right or licence for the mine site, checked at the official register
- A movement permit from site to buyer, and records of each lot
- A licensed refinery that keeps documented lots separate from other feed
- An export permit for the consignment, a certificate of origin and a certificate of analysis authenticated by the country of origin
- Supplier KYC and beneficial owners, screened against sanctions lists
This is the standard any lot we eventually quote must meet. For the full data, see production and exports.
Uganda origin data
Quotes
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Send the gold form, fineness, quantity, delivery point and the documents you require. We reply by email with what can and cannot be quoted at this stage, and on what basis.
Sources for the figures and rules on this page
Evidence for this page
Each statement is labelled by the strength of its evidence and dated. How we label evidence.
| Statement | Evidence | Source | Checked |
|---|---|---|---|
| Uganda recorded gold exports of about 62 tonnes in 2025; UN experts judged 2025 exports largely attributable to DRC-origin gold. | Official | UN Group of Experts on the DRC, final report S/2026/466 | |
| Recorded gold production was 14.96 kg in FY2020/21 and 15 kg in FY2021/22 (Uganda EITI); the ministry's figure for 2022 is 0.00421 tonnes (UBOS). | Official | Uganda EITI reports; UBOS Statistical Abstract 2024, Table 3.1 | |
| Wagagai Mining (U) Limited holds mining lease ML1999 (27 Aug 2019 to 26 Aug 2040); the mine was commissioned in August 2025 with on-site refining to 99.9% and about 1.2 t a year of capacity (UIA, DGSM); UN experts report about 1.5 t a year. | Official | UGEITI licence registers; Uganda Investment Authority; DGSM; UN Group of Experts on the DRC, final report S/2026/466 | |
| Artisanal and small-scale gold production in Uganda is estimated at 1.5–3.4 t a year. | Independently evidenced | US Geological Survey estimate, Minerals Yearbook: Uganda (2015–2019) | |
| Eight small-scale mining licences had been issued nationally by November 2025; the Bank of Uganda buys from licensed, prequalified miners, through two refineries it contracted in April 2026, at the prevailing international price with a 7–10 t a year target. | Reported | Press reports on the Bank of Uganda domestic gold purchase programme (CEO East Africa, Apr 2026; East African Mining News) and on small-scale mining licences (UG Diplomat) |