The Programme

The Uganda Development Finance Summit's programme has been designed to provoke, inform, and inspire, culminating in a clear articulation of actionable insights for systemic change.

Please note, this programme is currently in draft form and subject to change as we finalize our exciting lineup of speakers and sessions.

Would you like to contribute to the discussions of the Uganda Development Finance Summit?
Contact our programme team on events@icpublications.com to become a speaker at the event.

DAY 1  //  01 SEPTEMBER 2025

08:00 - 09:00 // Arrival, Registration, and Networking Breakfast

09:00 - 09:30 // Grand Opening & Welcome Remarks
Arrival of officials and formal commencement of the Summit.

09:30 - 09:50 // Keynote Speech: Transforming Africa through National Development Finance Architecture
The speech will set the stage for the Summit and will provide thought-provoking analysis of the prevailing financing practices. It will envision a modernized national development finance architecture to turn social, economic and environmental challenges into an engine of decent job creation and export-led growth by unleashing the power of science and technology.

09:50 - 10:30 // Fireside Chat: Africa’s Economic Development in perspective
The fireside chat will be a dynamic examination of Africa's economic development to date, fostering an understanding of the root causes of the issues that must be addressed.

10:30 - 11:20 // Official Inauguration & Presidential Address
Remarks by high-level officials attending the event, including the event's guest of honour His Excellency Yoweri Museveni, President of the Republic of Uganda.

11:20 - 12:45 // Plenary Session: A New Development Paradigm
This high-level panel will explore how Africa can accelerate its economic transformation through a reimagined national development finance architecture, focusing on mobilising capital for inclusive growth and sustainable development.

12:45 - 14:15 // Networking Lunch Break

14:15 - 16:00 // Concurrent Deep Dive Sessions

  • Session 1: Commercializing Agriculture for the 21st Century Economy: Opportunities for Africa
    This session will explore how emerging technologies and robust finance mechanisms can scale agricultural productivity, contributing to macroeconomic stability and creating entrepreneurial ecosystems from start-ups to farmers.
  • Session 2: Industries Without Smokestacks: A New Approach to Address Africa’s Youth Crisis
    This session will investigate how Africa's digitally savvy youth can leverage the burgeoning services sector and creative industries, powered by the Fourth Industrial Revolution and AI, to drive growth and job creation, with NDBs playing a pivotal role.

16:00 - 16:30 // Tea Break

16:30 - 17:45 // Plenary Session: Advancing Africa’s Transformation through Development Finance, Industrial Policy, and Private Sector Growth
With a focus on the role of National Development Banks (NDBs), blended finance mechanisms, and industrial policy, this plenary session will examine how public and private capital can be mobilised to drive inclusive growth and sustainable development.

18:00 - 20:00 // Gala Cocktail Reception: "Uganda Nite"

DAY 2  //  02 SEPTEMBER 2025

08:00 - 09:00 // Networking Breakfast

09:00 - 09:30 // Keynote Address: Africa's Financing Landscape: Issues and Opportunities
This address will delve into the future of development finance, identifying key actors, fostering collaboration between governments and the private sector, and exploring how NDBs can play a more prominent role to accelerate development and impact.

09:30 - 10:45 // Panel Discussion: Shifts in the Global Trade Order: Priorities for Africa
This session will provide an overview of the current geopolitical shifts affecting trade routes and global supply chains, highlighting opportunities for the continent, particularly in intra-Africa trade, and the role of NDBs in unlocking capital for industry and domestic value chains.

11:30 - 12:45 // Concurrent Action-Oriented Sessions

  • Session 1: Financing Africa’s transformation: What are the practical innovations.
    This session will delve deeper into innovative financing mechanisms, exploring new initiatives and how key players can collaborate for transformative impact, such as driving energy provision or other critical development goals.
  • Session 2: Economic transformation in a technologically driven world: Opportunity for Africa’s Industrialization
    This session will address how Africa can close the technology gap despite limited financial resources, re-arranging priorities at government and DFI levels to support an ecosystem that creates value and addresses youth unemployment through the Fourth Industrial Revolution.

14:30 - 16:00 // Closing Plenary & Recommendations
This closing plenary will synthesise discussions from across the two days, forging a new path for NDBs and a new paradigm for DFIs. It will emphasize the strategic role these institutions play amidst global shifts, calling for bold, practical, and collaborative action for maximum impact in the shortest timeframe.

    18:00 - 20:00 // Grand Reception hosted by the Prime Minister of Uganda