Capital Markets: Unlocking Uganda’s Long-Term Financing Potential for Sustainable Economic Transformation

CMA Engages Members of the 12th Parliament on the Strategic Role of Capital Markets in National Development

The Capital Markets Authority (CMA) Uganda recently engaged Members of the 12th Parliament during their induction programme in a strategic discussion on the role of capital markets in driving Uganda’s economic transformation and financing its long-term development aspirations. The engagement, led by CMA Chief Executive Officer Mrs. Josephine Okui Ossiya, highlighted how capital markets can complement traditional financing sources and provide sustainable, long-term capital needed to support Uganda’s ambitious growth agenda.

As Uganda pursues Vision 2040 and the Government’s Ten-Fold Growth Strategy aimed at transforming the country into a US$500 billion economy, the demand for development financing continues to grow. Investments in strategic sectors such as transport infrastructure, energy, housing, agro-industrialisation, manufacturing, tourism, and digital transformation require substantial capital that cannot be financed through public resources and conventional bank lending alone. The capital markets ecosystem presents a unique opportunity to bridge this financing gap by mobilising domestic and international savings into productive investments.

Understanding the Capital Markets Opportunity

Capital markets serve as a platform through which governments, corporations, state-owned enterprises, and private businesses raise funds from investors in exchange for financial securities such as shares, bonds, collective investment schemes, and other investment products. These markets facilitate the efficient allocation of capital by connecting those with savings to those seeking financing for growth and development.