Modernise housing sector in line with global trends and national aspirations, minister tells industry players
Mayanja, said the theme of this year’s event: Building for the Future: Innovation, Sustainability and Technology is a timely rallying call to modernise the sector in line with global trends and national aspirations.
Sam Mayanja State Minister for lands, Housing and Urban development addressing journalists during a press conference at Uganda Media Centre on July 31, 2025. (Photos by Nancy Nanyonga)
By John Masaba
Journalists @New Vision
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Stakeholders in Uganda’s construction and housing sector have been asked to embrace innovation, sustainability and collaboration as core drivers of future development.
Speaking on July 31, 2025, ahead of the 2025 Uganda Buildcon International Expo at Uganda Media Centre, State Minister for Lands, Housing and Urban Development, Dr Sam Mayanja, said the theme of this year’s event: Building for the Future: Innovation, Sustainability and Technology is a timely rallying call to modernise the sector in line with global trends and national aspirations.
“Industry players must put innovative technologies at the centre of development by creating awareness, promoting innovative approaches and building sustainable collaborations,” Mayanja said.
The call comes as Uganda experiences a steady rise in construction activity, buoyed by rapid urbanisation, a growing population and major public infrastructure projects under the third and upcoming fourth National Development Plans (NDPIII and NDPIV).
According to the Uganda Bureau of Statistics (UBOS), the construction sector contributed about 12.4% to the country’s GDP in 2023, highlighting its central role in national development.
Mayanja noted that the expo, bringing together both international and local industry players, is particularly timely as the Government scales up implementation of NDPIV (2025/26–2029/30), which prioritises industrialisation, urban development, and affordable housing.
He added that his ministry will use the event to showcase a suite of policies and regulatory frameworks intended to boost the sector’s performance and alignment with sustainable development goals.
Among the key frameworks to be highlighted are the National Housing Policy (2016), which provides a framework for housing development, the National Urban Policy (2017), to manage urbanisation processes, and the Condominium Property Act (2021), to promote vertical housing in urban areas.
Others include the Physical Planning Act (2010) and its 2020 amendment, which declared the entire country a planning area and the energy efficiency building guidelines, and the operationalisation of 23 ministerial zonal offices to decentralise land services.
Vaibhav Srivastava, the project manager at Futures Exhibitions and co-organiser of the expo, said this year’s edition will be the largest and most focused international exhibition for Uganda’s built environment.
“This exhibition stands as Uganda’s largest and most focused international exhibition in this sector,” Srivastava said.
“It is dedicated to promoting innovation in architecture, building, construction, design, and engineering to serve the growing needs of Uganda and the broader East African region.”
Srivastava praised the strong institutional and industry support backing the event, including the Ministry of Lands, Housing and Urban Development, National Housing and Construction Company, Institution of Surveyors of Uganda, and Uganda Institute of Professional Engineers.
“We are proud to host over 150 participating brands from countries such as Uganda, India, Kenya, China, UK, UAE, Sri Lanka, Tanzania, Turkey, and more,” he added.
“Participants include leading manufacturers, dealers, and service providers across the building and construction value chain.”
The official opening ceremony of the two-day event at the Uganda Manufacturers Association, scheduled for August 7 at 10:00am, will feature senior government officials, sponsors, exhibitors, and invited guests.
“This is a unique opportunity to explore, connect, and engage with cutting-edge solutions and collaborations that will shape the future of infrastructure and the construction industry in the region,” Srivastava said.