Stanbic Economic Forum puts Uganda’s investment outlook under the spotlight

Uganda is approaching a defining economic moment, one shaped by new sources of growth, shifting global power dynamics, and rising competition for capital. It is against this backdrop that the 2026 Stanbic Economic Forum will convene on February 12, bringing together policymakers, investors and business leaders to interrogate the country’s readiness to compete in a rapidly rewired global economy.

Held under the theme “Uganda’s Inflection Point: Competing in a Rewired Global Economy,” the Forum will be streamed live on Stanbic Bank Uganda’s YouTube channel from 8:30 am, extending access beyond the conference room to a wider national and international audience.

The timing is deliberate. Before the end of 2026, Uganda is expected to commence commercial sales of crude oil from its reserves in western Uganda, a development widely seen as a potential catalyst for accelerated GDP growth, expanded fiscal space, and increased foreign investment. For many economists, this marks a structural turning point in the country’s economic trajectory.

Yet this optimism is tempered by global realities. Heightened geopolitical tensions, fragmented trade systems, and volatile capital flows continue to reshape international markets, underscoring the need for economies like Uganda’s to position themselves strategically.

Global Insight Meets Local Strategy

A key highlight of the Forum will be insights from Jibran Qureishi, Standard Bank Group’s Head of Africa Regions Economic Research, who is expected to offer a data-driven assessment of global and regional economic trends and their implications for Africa’s growth outlook.

His contribution will anchor discussions on how Uganda can navigate external shocks while leveraging regional integration, infrastructure investment, and private sector competitiveness.

According to Bethuel Karanja, Head of Global Markets at Stanbic Bank Uganda, the Forum comes at a moment when deliberate alignment between policy, private capital and global opportunity has become indispensable.

“Uganda is our home, and we take seriously our responsibility to drive her growth,” Karanja said. “As the country approaches this inflection point, platforms like the Stanbic Economic Forum are essential in fostering dialogue that supports informed decision-making, long-term investment and economic transformation.”

Capital, Competitiveness and Convening Power

For Stanbic Bank, the Forum is more than an annual event; it is part of a broader strategy to convene thought leadership and enable partnerships that advance Uganda’s development agenda.

“As a leading financial institution in the country, Stanbic Bank plays a key role in mobilising capital, supporting trade and infrastructure, and enabling businesses to scale competitively within the region and beyond,” Karanja noted.

Over the past five years, the bank has consistently brought together stakeholders from both the public and private sectors to interrogate Uganda’s economic prospects and policy priorities. This year’s edition builds on that legacy, with sharper focus on competitiveness, resilience and sustainable growth in an increasingly complex global environment.

Framing the Next Growth Chapter

Discussions at the 2026 Forum will centre on national planning priorities, emerging investment opportunities, and the evolving role of capital markets in driving productivity and business expansion. As Uganda looks to convert resource potential into broad-based prosperity, the conversation is shifting from growth alone to the quality, sustainability and inclusivity of that growth.

At a time when global capital is cautious and competition for investment is intensifying, the Stanbic Economic Forum positions itself as a strategic space for shaping the ideas, policies and partnerships that could define Uganda’s next economic chapter.