The Urbanisation Forum and Homes Expo brought together stakeholders from across Uganda’s housing, real estate and financial sectors to examine the opportunities and challenges emerging from the country’s rapid urbanisation.
A key issue at the forum was the need to expand access to affordable housing and create practical pathways to homeownership for a growing urban population. KCB Bank used the platform to highlight the critical role financial institutions can play in turning these ambitions into reality.
Speaking at the event, KCB Bank Managing Director Edgar Byamah emphasised that banks have an important role in providing the financing required to support real estate development while making homeownership more accessible to Ugandans.
Byamah noted that owning a home should not be viewed as an unattainable dream. With appropriate financial planning, suitable financing solutions and access to funding, more Ugandans can take meaningful steps towards owning property.
His remarks came at a time when Uganda’s urban centres are expanding and demand for housing continues to grow. The discussions at the Urbanisation Forum underscored the need for collaboration between financial institutions, developers, property professionals, policymakers and individuals to address the housing needs of a growing population.
For banks, this means developing financing solutions that reflect the realities of prospective homeowners while also supporting developers to deliver housing that meets market demand. Stronger partnerships across the housing value chain can help close the gap between people seeking homes and the capital needed to build or purchase them.
KCB Bank’s participation highlighted the importance of financial inclusion in Uganda’s urbanisation journey. As cities grow, access to housing finance will remain an important component of building communities that are not only larger, but also more inclusive and sustainable.
The Urbanisation Forum therefore provided an important platform to move the conversation beyond the question of how many homes Uganda needs to how those homes can be financed and made accessible to more people.
For KCB Bank, the message was clear: homeownership should be an achievable goal, and access to the right financial support can help more Ugandans turn that goal into reality.
