Housing Finance takes real estate and infrastructure dialogue to Mbarara

Mbarara, Uganda | THE INDEPENDENT | Housing Finance Bank is set to lead discussions on real estate, housing and infrastructure investment in Western Uganda as industry stakeholders converge in Mbarara for the Ankole Real Estate & Infrastructure Conference.

The conference, scheduled for August 21, 2026, at Igongo Country Hotel in Mbarara, is part of Knight Frank Uganda’s Real Estate Development and Investment Summit (REDi) initiative.

The engagement comes as Mbarara continues to strengthen its position as a major commercial centre in Western Uganda, driven by growing population, business activity and investment across the wider Ankole region.

The growth is creating increased demand for residential housing, commercial property and supporting infrastructure while opening opportunities for developers, investors and financial institutions.

Housing Finance Bank will join developers, financiers, urban planners, policymakers and other industry players to examine the opportunities emerging in the region and the financing required to translate them into sustainable development.

The Mbarara conference follows the Acholi Real Estate and Infrastructure Conference held in Gulu, which brought together key stakeholders to explore Northern Uganda’s real estate and infrastructure investment potential.

Discussions in Gulu highlighted opportunities in residential housing, logistics, warehousing, hospitality and student accommodation, while also examining the financing challenges that can prevent viable projects from moving forward.

For Housing Finance Bank, the Gulu engagement demonstrated the importance of bringing financiers and other industry stakeholders into regional conversations about property development.

The bank will now take the conversation to Mbarara, where discussions will focus on the investment opportunities and financing needs arising from Western Uganda’s continued economic growth.

Mbarara’s role as a commercial hub serving the wider Ankole region has made it an increasingly important market in Uganda’s real estate sector. Rising business activity and investment are supporting demand for both residential and commercial property, while also creating a need for better infrastructure and more coordinated urban growth.

Housing Finance Bank will use the conference to contribute to discussions on how appropriate financing can support property development and make real estate investment more accessible to individuals, families and businesses.

The bank said its approach is based on developing financing solutions that reflect how Ugandans actually build and invest, rather than relying solely on conventional financing models.

Dorothy Namutebi, the head of mortgages and consumer banking at Housing Finance Bank, said the bank wants to ensure that individuals and investors can participate in the growth of regional economies.

“As regional towns such as Mbarara continue to grow, the demand for housing and property investment is growing alongside them. At Housing Finance Bank, our role is to ensure that individuals, families and investors have access to financing solutions that enable them to participate in this growth,” Namutebi said.

She said the bank offers solutions covering mortgages, incremental housing finance and construction financing to support homeownership and property development.

One of the bank’s products is Zimba Mpola Mpola, an incremental housing loan that enables customers to finance construction in phases rather than taking on a large mortgage upfront.

The product allows customers to build progressively in line with their income and financial capacity, providing an alternative to financing an entire construction project at once.