Uganda’s Minister of State for Sports, Peter Ogwang, has reported significant progress on the construction of Akii Bua Olympic Stadium in Lira City.
This comes days after details of CAF’s inspection report that flagged uncertainty over the venue’s readiness for the 2027 Africa Cup of Nations were released.
During his routine inspection on Thursday, March 26, Ogwang said the works, commissioned by President Museveni in January 2025, are now at 45% completion, ahead of schedule. He was accompanied by consultants from the Ministry of Works and Transport.
“The contractor, SAMCO National Construction Company, is committed to having the facility completed by October this year,” Ogwang stated, adding that government is closely monitoring progress to ensure delivery within the promised timeframe.
CAF’s February 2026 report had noted that Akii Bua Stadium was not visited during its inspection mission, leaving its technical status unverified.
The governing body stressed that further assessment would be required to confirm whether the stadium can meet CAF Category 4 standards in time for AFCON 2027.
Akii Bua Stadium, named after Olympic gold medalist John Akii Bua, is seen as a symbol of national pride and a key part of Uganda’s AFCON infrastructure programme alongside Hoima City Stadium and Mandela National Stadium.
With CAF set to return for another inspection in August, Uganda’s sports authorities are under pressure to demonstrate measurable progress not only on stadiums but also on supporting infrastructure such as airports, hotels, and road connectivity.
