Uganda’s Ministry of Finance outlines housing finance and construction reform priorities

Uganda’s Ministry of Finance outlined priorities for housing finance and construction reform at the third Annual Doing Business Forum in Kampala. Finance Minister Henry Musasizi highlighted the need for private investment and financing affordable to households and developers to address an estimated housing deficit of 2.4 million units. Mortgage refinancing could help lenders provide housing loans with longer terms. The ministry will work with local governments to improve physical planning, simplify building approvals and uphold construction standards, giving developers clarity on requirements, costs and decision timelines. It will also support the phased capitalisation of the National Housing and Construction Company and private innovations that reduce building costs. Developing Ugandan contractors’ skills, equipment and management capacity was another priority. Permanent Secretary and Secretary to the Treasury Ramathan Ggoobi indicated that the forum’s discussions are intended to inform the fiscal 2027/28 budget. Existing financing support includes Uganda Development Bank’s UGX 150 billion Local Contractors Financing Initiative, which provides affordable finance, equipment and capacity development. The government has also allocated UGX 422.35 billion to Uganda Development Corporation for fiscal 2026/27 for strategic investments, including construction. Ggoobi called for an action matrix linking constraints such as land titling, approvals and utility connections to specific reforms, responsible institutions, deadlines and measurable results.