Over 400 global experts to attend inaugural Uganda Development Finance Summit

More than 400 global finance professionals are expected to attend the inaugural Uganda Development Finance Summit, scheduled for September 1–2, 2025, at the Speke Resort Convention Centre in Kampala.

Organized by the Uganda Development Bank (UDB), the high-profile summit will be held under the theme: “Transforming Africa through National Development Finance Architecture.”

The event is poised to bring together a diverse mix of high-level stakeholders from government, national and international financial institutions, the private sector, academia, and development partners to explore innovative financing models that can unlock Africa’s full economic potential.

According to UDB, the summit aims to drive sustainable development, address pressing investment priorities, and chart a bold and collaborative path forward for African economies.

Discussions will focus on, among others, the role of national development banks in driving industrialisation, strategies for strengthening agri-value chains, enhancing SME performance in Africa, constraints and opportunities in green financing and the potential of blended finance to attract large-scale investments.

The summit comes at a critical time when many African nations are grappling with shrinking traditional funding sources, including foreign aid and concessional financing.

This shift is forcing governments to increasingly turn to global debt markets, where access remains limited and borrowing costs are significantly higher than those of other sovereign borrowers.

As a result, the financing gap continues to grow, limiting the flow of much-needed capital to both public and private sectors, and stalling economic transformation across the continent.

Speaking ahead of the summit, Dr Patricia Ojangole, managing director of UDB, underscored the significance of the gathering. She said the summit will serve as a platform for dialogue, knowledge-sharing, and partnership-building focused on inclusive growth, sustainable financing, and overcoming the challenges faced by national development banks.