President Yoweri Museveni has commissioned the $250 million Wagagai Gold Mining Project in Busia District, unveiling the country’s first refinery capable of producing 99.99% pure gold.
The project, described as a milestone for Uganda’s mineral sector, is expected to end decades of raw mineral exports, generate millions of dollars in revenue, and create thousands of jobs through value addition.
Museveni praised Wagagai Mining (U) Co., Ltd. for setting up the state-of-the-art facility. He said for decades Uganda exported raw copper that had to be refined abroad before being re-imported, a process that robbed the country of revenue.
“I want to thank Wagagai for listening to my message from the beginning and fully processing the gold. Uganda will get more money,” Museveni said.
He warned that exporting unprocessed minerals cheats Uganda and urged artisanal miners to work with Wagagai so their gold can be refined locally.
The President also thanked the Government of China for its support, citing both investment and infrastructure projects, and stressed that mineral wealth must be used to create permanent assets such as power stations and railways.
“This mineral money must give us permanent and most durable assets,” Museveni said.
Chinese Ambassador to Uganda, H.E Zhang Lizhong, commended the project as a symbol of China–Uganda friendship and a driver of industrial progress. He applauded Uganda for fostering an investment climate that allows partnerships to thrive.
Ruth Nankabirwa, Minister of Energy and Mineral Development, said the project aligns with government’s commitment to promote value addition and job creation. She confirmed the refinery’s capacity to process gold to 99.99% purity and thanked Parliament for enacting regulations that made the development possible.
Wagagai Gold Mining General Manager Tan Jiuchang said the $150 million investment in Phase I is part of a $250 million plan to establish Uganda’s largest and most technologically advanced gold mine. He revealed that the project has already created more than 2,000 jobs and aims to employ over 5,000 Ugandans once fully operational.
“Busia, long known as the cradle of artisanal miners, now has a refinery that will help small-scale miners improve their livelihoods,” Jiuchang said. He urged miners to register and collaborate with the refinery to benefit from training and new income opportunities.
The Wagagai mine, located in Alupe, covers 9.224 square kilometers with proven reserves of 30 million tons of gold ore. It is projected to produce 1.2 tons of refined gold annually for the next 20 years, contributing about $10 million each year in tax revenue while training over 500 skilled Ugandan workers.